


Tumblr Prompts

by notsocleverwriter



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Pennywise (IT), I Ship It, IT - Freeform, M/M, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Prompt Fic, Reddie, Tumblr, Tumblr Prompt, just a bunch of crap, no rime or reason
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2019-10-28 05:38:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 33,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17781587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notsocleverwriter/pseuds/notsocleverwriter
Summary: This is just a bunch of Tumblr prompts. None has a continuation. Mostly reddie, will tag if otherwise. Thanks for reading.





	1. Soulmate AU

The air on the roof was cool and refreshing, washing over his heated face. Tears were already welding up in his eyes, his lips trembling with pathetic emotion. Rushing to the edge he looked down at the city, the lights and cars full of happy and complete people. People who had their lives all lined up for them, whose time still ticked on their skin or have run out, introducing them to the person they were destined to be with. It was a somber sight, one that mocked his very being

Ripping up his sleeve he clawed at his wrist, desperately trying to remove the blinking numbers. He was drawing blood but there wasn’t a single thought to stop, only pain, only desperation, only a gnawing agony that vibrated deep in his bones. “Get off.” Eddie choked out, digging into the tender flesh. “Get off of me.”

Still the numbers blinked.

Blinked the same fucking thing that it has since he was thirteen.

0:00

It was a badge, a social stigmatism that he carried each and every day. No one wanted to be with someone who they felt pity for, who they knew would never be truly theirs. Having your soulmate ripped from you-and at such a young age-was a down right travesty. Everyone wanted to help but didn’t know how. Friends only offered sad looks when he was asked, casual conversation coming to a complete halt when his secret was revealed.

Eddie tried to hide it, wore over sized hoodies and long sleeve shirts to keep his shame hidden but it never worked. One slip, that’s all it took to turn the air thick and tension heavy. His entire life he had been hiding, hiding from the fact that he was destined to be alone, marked by the ultimate pain.

The door opened and slammed shut, making Eddie snap back into reality. Wiping at his face he kept himself forward, praying it was just some couple who were looking for a quiet place to suck face. “Hey Eds, I was wondering if you’ve seen Bev? She’s got my cigs and-”

“No Richie she isn’t here.” He growled, rubbing his face over twice. “Try the basement, she’s probably dry humping Ben down there.”

There was no sign of escape, no creek of the door to tell Eddie that the answer had sufficed for the trashmouth. Instead footsteps echoed against the muffled music from inside and Eddie did his best to hide the fact that he had been in the middle of an emotional breakdown.

“What’s got you down Spaghetti Man?”

Eddie scoffed, the nickname making his chest twist just like it always did. “Don’t call me that, why do you always have to give me nicknames? Do you just hate my name or are you that so self righteous that you have to-”

“Whoa, calm down there.” Richie held up his hand in defense. “Put away the daggers, I’m not your enemy here.”

Letting out a sputtered breath Eddie apologized, pressing his forehead against the railing and breathing in the sweet smell that was New York. Once upon a time this place meant absolute freedom, something he had craved. Now it tasted like failure, like he was the the one fighting against the tide while everyone else floated downstream. Life was hard, harder if your name was Eddie Kaspbrak.

“I saw Bill met his soulmate.” Richie commented, putting his back against the city and staring at the raging party inside. His fingers fidgeted, the need for a cigarette becoming more apparent by the second. “Is that what’s got you so worked up?”

“Yeah.” Eddie admitted, keeping his eyes set on his tennis shoes. “I knew it was coming, just like I did with Stan and Ben but it still hurt you know? Like a slap in the face.”

“Why?”

“Why?” Eddie repeated, lifting his head and staring at his acquaintance with skepticism.Now, Richie Tozier wasn’t the type of person Eddie liked to associate with. He was loud and crass and for some reason he always smelt like irish springs even after smoking an entire bowl himself. They were thrown together after Ben and Beverly’s time ended, forcing the two groups to become one. Friends by default, that’s what Eddie called it. “What the fuck do you mean why?”

“I mean you have no time but so what? It’s better that way.” Richie shrugged, turning to face Eddie in full. Before he had time to spit fire Richie continued, “I spent my entire life watching my parents hate each other, watching my father beat the shit out of her and her drink herself to near death. They shouldn’t have been together, should have never married but they did because they were soulmates. It was terrible and I told myself I would never let society decide who I was going to love.”

Eddie blinked, taken aback by Richie's sudden honesty. “I didn’t know stuff like that happened.” He admitted, shamefully looking down to the trickle of blood that trailed down his hand. “I thought-”

“Sometimes it’s best to be free of this whole soulmate thing. Take it from me Eds, you aren’t as fucked as you think.” Richie rubbed his own wrist, right where Eddie expected his time to be. No one knew how much the trashmouth had left, he never spoke of it and always covered himself with brackets or clothing. Eddie wondered if they had already met, if Richie had turned her away or just kept walking. “Besides, who needs the stress right?”

Eddie watched Richie snap back to his happy go-lucky self, jumping from sad to joyful in a matter of seconds. If he hadn’t been paying attention he would have missed the dark look that Richie had wore through his confession, of his dull eyes and forever frown. Eddie recognized it, he himself wore it from time to time.

It was pain.

“I guess you’re right Richie.” Eddie answered, watching his friend brighten. “I’m surprised.”

“I can be surprising Eds.” Richie jested, smirking. “Trust me.”


	2. Student Teacher AU

Richie hated this.

He hated this stupid community center with its stupid brick walls and uplifting posters. All the people shuffling around with their kind greetings and welcoming smile. It was a downer, forcing Richie to put his busy schedule on hold just to fulfill a promise he had to his best friend who had a crush on the instructor. Despite his best effort he had been cornered, and now here he was sitting on a chair that put a kink in his back and an headache between his temples.

“Don’t look so happy.” Ben sarcastically said, rolling his eyes and pulling out his notebook. “You’re going to like this, it’s a new skill that you can use all your life and-”

“It’s a sewing class.” Richie cut, leaning back in his chair and eyeing the exit. “You know how to sew, I’ve seen it.”

“It’s the advanced course.”

Before Richie could slap back the classroom door opened, but instead of the lush amazing woman that Ben so fondly described, in stepped a short man with a loosened tie and frowning face. With feather like hair that fell into his eyes-long past due for a cut-and freckles dusted along his cheeks and nose Richie swooned. He was gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. It was like looking into the face of an angle and because of that Richie was sure he had died on the spot. Sitting up a little straighter he ignored the slouched disappointment from the friend beside him. With a tightened stomach and focused heart he awaited for the man to speak.

“Miss Marsh is not going to be in today so I will be covering her class.” The man muttered under his breath, clearly not amused with the commitment. “Lucky for her my class ran long and she was able to catch me before I was able escape home so here I am.” There was a small hand gesture, and Richie could feel his lips curl into a smile. “My name is Eddie Kaspbrak and I am your substitute. I was told by Miss Marsh that you all have your assignments and should-”

Richie spaced out, watching the teachers lips move but not hearing a single thing. All that filled his ears was his beating heart, it sepaking all the things he thought had been lost long ago. People moved around him, Ben tugging on his arm and gaining what little attention span Richie possesed.

“We can just go, I’m all caught up with the assignment.”

“What? No.” Richie sputtered, snapping back into place like a rubber band. “We can’t go.”

“Why not? You hate it-” Ben stopped noticing that his friend was still watching the teacher as he took the seat behind Miss Marsh’s desk. “O-Oh, now I get it.” A shit eating grin growing along his face making Richie scowl. “The tables sure have turned huh?”

“Go talk to him and find out if he’s single.” Richie half asked, half demanded earning a snort. “Come on, I came to this class to be your wing man so return the favor!”

“I’ve been asking you to come to class for three weeks, so-” He rapped his fingers on the desk, packing up his notebook and leaving Richie hanging by a thread. “In three weeks.”

“Wow. That’s harsh Hanscom.”

“An eye for an eye Tozier.” He hummed, standing from the table and turing to leave only to be stopped by a firm hand on his wrist.

Richie looked up at him with pleading eyes, “Please. I’ll do anything.”

“Anything?” Ben repeated, raising an eyebrow. Gulping down the inevitable guilt that would come from this decision Richie nodded, making his best friend sigh. “Alright, just stay here.”

Richie did as he was told, watching Ben as he walked up to the desk and casually struck up a conversation with Mr. Kaspbrak, who at first looked like he wanted nothing to do with him. After a few back and forths the teacher smiled, extending his hand out for Ben to shake. A nervous itch began to crawl its way up his spine, settling at the base of his skull. Ben pointed to him, and not knowing what to do he awkwardly waved immediately regretting it when Mr. Kaspbrak full on laughed.

Now, Richie had never been the type to have problems with relationship. That was Ben, not the smooth talking trashmouth who once talked a woman into blowing him as he did his daily radio show. And yet there was something different about this teacher, something that made him all giddy and weird like he was thirteen again. After what felt like forever Ben came walking back, a smile curling at the corner of his lips.

“Well?” Richie pressed, glancing back to Mr. Kaspbrak, who now busied himself with a book. “What did he say.”

“He said that Beverly likes me and is currently at the bar across the street hating that she had to miss class.” Excitement seeped out of every pour, making Richie slightly jealous. “I guess he is her wingman. Small world.”

Although happy for his friend he needed to know the rest of the conversation. “Okay but what did he say about me?”

“Oh if you wanted to actually talk to him you need to take his class, he said his time isn’t free.” Ben laughed, “I like him.”

Richie gaped, one hundred percent over this bullshit and already thinking of a way to get the teacher to spend a little one and one time with him. If he had to take a stupid community center class than so be it, it would be worth it in the end. “Well what the fuck does he teach?”

“Ethics..”

“Aw fuck.”


	3. Ex's Meeting After Years of Not Talking AU

The clinic was packed, something about the full moon and the warm weather seemed to cause common sense to jump out of the window. It was a broken arm here, a busted face there…hell he even had a young man who had a very intimate item shoved so far up his ass that he needed to be sent to surgery. Eddie could feel another migraine coming on, his temples throbbing and nose burning. With only six hours of his sixteen hour shift down, there was a long way to go before he felt the sweet release of his bed.

Grabbing the next folder he glanced at the name, not registering it whatsoever. Standard case, car crash with a broken nose. In and out in ten minutes if he was lucky, twenty if the guy was a talker. Clearing the nonchalant tone in his voice he pulled back the curtain, stepping in and closing the barrier behind him.

“Alright Mr-” He paused rereading the name. “Tozier? Wait, Tozier? I know that name are you-” The question stopped because there sitting in the bed with a bloody rag pressed against his face sparked his memory. “Holy shit, Richie?”

“Huh?” The man sputtered, squinting his eyes and lowering his rag to reveal a very bruised, very broken face. “I can’t see, do I know you?”

Right, glasses. Eddie distinctly remembered thick lenses that used to stare back at him in dim lighting. They must have been crushed in the crash, or lost along the way here. The man still had his awkwardness- his limbs too long for his body, his hair hanging past his ears and into his face-the sharpness in his face had softened, making him look almost tangible. It made Eddie forget all professionalism, stumbling for a minute before regaining composure. “Sorry, I’m Eddie, Eddie Kaspbrak. I don’t know if you remember me but we used to-”

Richie’s face lit up, making Eddie’s heart flip. “Fuck is it really you Eds?” There was a chuckle between them, and Eddie wasn’t sure why he himself was laughing. “Goddamn, you really did become a doctor huh? Should have locked that down when I had a chance!”

Rolling his eyes Eddie replied, “It was three dates and one night.” One amazing, magical night that ended with Eddie out of breath and wanting more. “And last I remembered you were getting wasted, stripping down naked and running though the streets.”

“I’m actually still doing that, except now I get paid for it.” Richie puffed his chest out proudly, “I’m a comedian.”

“So that civil arts degree didn’t work out for ya huh?” Eddie jested, pulling the stoll from across the room so that he could sit before his patient. There was a second the expected Richie to shoot back but it passed as he shrugged and smiled. Putting on his official doctor voice he continued, “So a broken nose? I’ll have to set that and-”

“Are you married?”

Eddie choked, sputtering out a small, “No?”

“Me either.”

“Okay?” Eddie raised a brow, not sure where that came from but brushing it off anyways. “Like I was saying, your nose is clearly broken so I’m going to have to set it.” Putting down the chart he leaned forward, hearing the hitch in Richie’s breath as he grazed the bruised skin. “Alright, on three.” Richie nodded, winching as Eddie placed his thumbs on either side. “One, two-” Without warning he snapped the cartilage into its rightful shape, causing Richie to scream out in pain and pull out of Eddie’s grasp.

“Ow, fucking christ!” Richie yelped, rocking back and forth in pain. “Fuck, fuck fuck fuck!”

“Still have that trashmouth I see.” The doctor smirked, pulling out his prescription pad and writing down the usual dosage. “Do you have any other complaints? Pain in the chest, head or back? Anything else damaged from your car accident?”

“Just my pride apparently.”

“Well that can be cured by a stiff drink.” Eddie joked, ripping the paper and placing it into Richie’s palm. When he pulled it back there was a small tug, Richie’s long fingers wrapping around his wrist stealing his actions. It was quiet for a moment, Eddie’s looking down at the man with wide eyes. The trashmouth was squinting again, so hard that Eddie was afraid he was going to have to pry his eyelids back open.

“I can’t tell if your cute or if you are a white blob monster sent down to kill me.” Richie said, letting go of Eddie and leaning back. “I’m willing to take that bet and take you to dinner some time?” At first it sounded smooth before turning into an uncertain question with a small squeek to finish it off.

“Are you asking me out on a date?”

“Well another one yeah.”

Eddie could feel his heart skip, his knees going weak and head spin. Despite every goddamn rule he had made up for himself, the very thing that made him on of the favorites among his colleagues and patients he answered. “Sure, I can do dinner.”

“Really? I mean yeah cool, cool cool cool.” Richie sounded so dorky then, and Eddie couldn’t help but fall. “Awesomesauce.”

Laughing, Eddie pulled out his pad again, only this time jotting his information down instead of pain meds. “Alright weirdo, here’s my number so just call me okay?”

“Okay.” Richie replied, taking the paper, his grin spreading ear to ear.

Eddie smirked, “Okay.”


	4. Word: Lovely

The entire thing had been a waste of time. What in the hell did he think was going to happen? That he was just going to show up and sparks would fly, that he would have waited these ten years without moving forward with his life just like Eddie had? What a joke, what a cosmic fucking mess that left the universe laughing and Eddie hanging high and dry. Still, the liquor was free and the decorations were almost bearable as the world began to dull from his third double shot.

People spoke and danced inside the venue, enjoying one another’s company like the reunion intended. Eddie itched for another swig and he did so because-who was he fucking kidding-it was the only way to keep his sanity intact. With the flask against his lips he didn’t noticed the woman coming up to him, her fashionable clothes looking out of place in a sea of Derry slobs. She wore a sympathetic face, her lips turned downward at his drunken state.

“Hey Eddie, long time no see.”

Eddie jumped, nearly spilling his vodka down his chin. “H-Hey Beverly. I-uh didn’t see you there.”

“Snuck up on ya didn’t I?” Her grin not reaching her eyes. “Didn’t know I could still do that.”

Clearing his throat he hid his flask back in his breast pocket, a red tint covering his cheeks. “Some things never change I guess.” He muttered, biting his lip and looking past her to make sure there weren’t any stragglers that hid behind. They were alone, the party raging in inside as they stood by the midnight sky overlooking the least shitty part of Derry. “Shouldn’t you be enjoying the party?”

“Shouldn’t you?”

He snorted, rolling his eyes and leaning against the railing. Just passed the plated glass he could see him, completely engrossed in a conversation with Bill and his new wife. Eddie forgot how handsome he was, with the high cheekbones and wide grin surviving adulthood. His hair was tamed, his thick dorky glasses gone and a few wrinkles gathered at the corner of his eyes. Perfect, he was so absolutely perfect that Eddie wanted to cry. However, with all that perfection there was one thing that Eddie despised, one thing that ruined all hopes he had built up during the trip home.

The fiance on his arm.

Eddie took another drink from his flask, all embarrassment leaving him now. “No, I should actually get going but Uber takes fucking forever in this hellhole.”

“Hmm.” Beverly sang, watching her old friend turn back away from the sight. “It really is good to see everyone though, catching up after all this time.” Again, Eddie snorted unable to hold back his disgusted look. Ignoring this she continued, “I mean Stan and Mike are married? And Bill is a published author and Ben and I have twins now. I mean even Richie-”

“Oh for the love of god save it Bev.” He unintentionally nipped, rubbing the bride of his nose and holding up his hand. “I’m sorry I just-” Pausing he looked back inside, not surprised that Richie had taken to the dance floor with the blonde beauty he had brought. They floated together, their feet not even touching the floor. It was beautiful, more beautiful that anything Eddie could ever manage with his two left feet and awkward stance. This was what Richie deserved, someone who could be all the things Eddie wasn’t. Graceful, dependent and most importantly presentable.

The ache in Eddie’s heart was enough to kill him on that balcony.

“I understand.” She whispered in his ear, her kind touch like a brand on his shoulder.

“No you don’t.” He corrected, shaking his head. “You ended up with the person you love the most. Started a family, created a life for yourself. Do you know what I have Bev? What’s waiting for me back in New York?” The woman shook her head, retreating the hand that held him. “Nothing. An empty apartment, a dead end job, a cat that’s not even mine. I let him go when he left and he found his own life without me in it.”

“Eddie-”

“It’s fine.” He breathed, his bones becoming lead in his body forcing him to stay forever stuck in this moment. It hurt, telling Beverly the truth but what hurt most was the knowledge that Richie was happy. Happy without him. “I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”

Beverly said nothing more on the subject, leaning into him as they proved themselves against the railing and watched old classmates inside. It was a somber sight, forcing sobriety to a man who wanted nothing more than to drink his pain away. “They really are a beautiful couple aren’t they?” Beverly whispered into his neck, placing a platonic kiss onto the skin there. “Almost like out of a movie.”

“Yeah.” He agreed even against the protest of his chipping heart.

“They’re lovely.”


	5. Word: Fuck

It was late, too late for them to be out doing this. Sitting in an empty parking lot a small trail of smoke escaped through a crack in the window, floating up towards the sky before disappearing in the night breeze. Derry was in deep slumber but the wicked never slept.

Beverly smiled, drawing a hand holding up the middle finger on the passenger side window, small droplets of moisture following the lines before trailing down to the door. This made Richie chuckle, the noise echoing between them. There was a burning need to speak, something that both of them had their entire life but neither of them gave in, allowing the silence to string them along.

Richie handed her the joint as he let go of his last hit. She watched him with blown out pupils, as if his the smoke was the only thing keeping her grounded. Putting the thin piece between her lips she inhaled, savoring the feeling and high that this simple moment provided. “Fuck.” She sighed, allowing small puffs to escape from her nostrils. “This is horrible tasting weed.”

“Yes, but I’m broke and it gets the job done.”

Shrugging she took another hit, propping her bare feet on the dash. Surprisingly she felt Richie’s hands shove them off, letting out a small squeak as they hit the floor board. “What the hell Tozier?”

“Eddie would flip some shit if he saw your foot prints! I had to scrub the seats just to get him to let me take him to school.” He grumbled, wiping off he print she had unintentionally left.

“Wow.” She whistled, “I can’t believe he has you that whipped, you aren’t even dating!”

“I am not whipped.” Richie defended, shooting her a heated glare. “I just don’t like him walking, it’s-you know what? Screw you.”

“Eddie and Richie sitting in a tree.” Beverly sang, her tone off pitch and throat hoarse. “K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” A giggle ripped through her, vibrating her entire body. “It’s so cute! You have a little crush!”

“Alright, I’m going to take you home Marsh.”

She had crossed a line and she knew it, if she didn’t recover quickly he would stop talking to her for a week. Richie Tozier was the only person she knew that would be awake at three in the morning with a joint in hand and truck to drive. He was her safe haven, and it showed. “No don’t. I’m sorry I was just messing with you.”

“You don’t joke about that, not about Eddie okay?” He muttered, letting go of his keys and scrunching his face like he always did when he was annoyed. “It’s different with him, he’s different.”

“I’ll say, I’ve only ever seen you go after bimbos.” She pointed out, finishing off the rest of the joint and shoving it through the crack in her window. The smoke would linger a little bit longer, and by then the sun would rise and force them both back to the shit holes they called home. “It’s nice to see you finally going after him, you’ve been crushing pretty hard.”

“Am I that obvious?” Richie asked, leaning his head onto his headrest and sighing. “I mean if it’s obvious to you then he must think I’m an idiot.”

“It’s obvious to everyone, we just chose not to say anything.” Pausing, she debated on what to say next, knowing that the little spit fire she shared third period with would strangle her if he knew she had spilt the beans. “He likes you too you know.”

“Who?”

Rolling her eyes she replied, “Eddie. He told me so.”

“Wh-what? When was this?”

A smile curled at the corner of Beverly’s lips, “That’s all I’m going to say.” She replied, holding her hands up in defense. “You’ve got to figure the rest out on your own.”

“Hmm.” Richie mused, tapping on the steering wheel with his thumb, his own smile brightening up the dark night. “What an interesting turn of events.”

Beverly only laughed. Maybe it was from the weed, or maybe it was the natural high that Richie gave her but she believed this was it. This was what true love was, just two friends sitting around in the middle of the night enjoying eachothers company. It wasn’t pushy or overbearing, their hearts connected in ways that could never be explained. They were soulmates, looking after one another for all eternity.

And Beverly could live with that.


	6. Word: Giggle

“Whoa there Eds, don’t do that.” 

Eddie just let out a small, tiny little giggle making Richie’s heart clench. There they were, walking though the park from Greta Keene’s blow out being that it was shorter than taking the paved road. The sky was dark and gloomy, the stars hidden by big puffy grey clouds that threatened to weep on them at any moment. A storm was on the horizon, and Richie could feel it in his bones. 

“S’fine.” Eddie slurred, climbing onto the jungle gym awkwardly. “I just wanna-just wanna have some fun.” 

“You’re gonna-Eddie!” He warned in a sobering shout, closing the space between them and grabbing hold of his friends hips to keep him from falling flat on his face. The boy wiggled and whined, but Richie stood his ground and kept his grip until the tiny boy was sitting on the flat base of the children’s play place. “God, you’re worse than Bev, neither of you can hold your liquor.” 

“I’m just trying to b-be fun.” Eddie hiccuped, leaning back onto his elbows and staring down at Richie with dull eyes. “You think I’m fun right?” 

“Uh yeah sure.” Richie shrugged, glancing upward and muttering a warning to himself about time management and rainfall. “You’re a real blast right now.” 

“Good.” Eddie nodded, rubbing his adorable eyes with the palm of his hand. “Richie doesn’t think I’m fun-I’m trying to be-trying to be fun for him.” 

“What?” He snapped his head back, “I think you’re fun.” 

“I know, you said that.” Eddie grumbled, rolling onto his tummy to lower himself to the ground. It was quiet a sight to behold, the short high school student doing his best to touch down but failing and just dangling there with his legs fully extended. Before Richie was able to step forward and help Eddie slipped, falling into the sand and sprawling out there in a fit of giggles. “See, f-fun. I-I’m fun.” 

“I never said you weren’t fun Eds.” Richie whined, debating on forcing his friend to his feet or allowing him to stay three completely engrossed in himself. He wasn’t sure the last time he had seen his best friend so happy, happy and fucking drunk. 

“Richie did.” Eddie slurred, obviously unaware who his assigned guardian was. “He said-said that I’m a fucking buzz kill and didn’t know how to have fun.” 

Oh yeah. 

Richie suddenly remembered the conversation he had with the losers while they were debating on going to the party or not. He, Beverly and Mike had wanted to go while Eddie, Stan and Bill were against it-Ben having no care whatsoever. There had been a small fight, things were said and Richie spoke competently out of annoyance when he had snapped at Eddie. Although he had apologized immediately after, it was apparent that it had stuck in Eddie’s mind and now came forth in a drunken rant. 

Scrunching up his face, Richie asked. “Why do you care what he thinks.” 

Eddie’s face flustered, another bout of giggles coming from his chest as he flung his hands from his chest to the ground like a child. “’Cause I like him.” 

“You like him?” Richie repeated, raising an eyebrow. “Well he likes you too. I know he does.” 

“No not like.” Eddie rolled his eyes, scoffing. “I like him. Like how Ben likes Beverly or Stan secretly likes Mike.” The bird boy’s obvious secret being blurted out in a huff, his eyes rolling fixated on the sky as his mouth turned downward as if his happiness depended on this very deep revaluation. “How am I supposed to compete with-with all those g-girls he hangs with? W-With anyone-not when he th-thinks I’m a fucking bummer.” 

“Eddie.” Richie sighed, his stomach clenching. There was something, the truth pushing against his throat but the words failed him as he stared down at his best friend. Eddie was playing his heart strings, the sympathy he created floating between them. It’s not that Richie hadn’t imagined this, hadn’t daydreamed of his crush admitting his feelings in one fantastic display of romance-one that would put those romantic comedies to shame. The absolute last thing he expected was Eddie to be drunk off his ass, talking to someone he thought wasn’t Richie as he lay flat on his back in a children’s park. “Eddie I-”

Large droplets came down then, a sheet of rain coming from nowhere and drenching the two instantly. The universe was telling him something and he could do nothing but listen. “Goddammit!” He shouted to the sky, thunder being his only answer. 

Eddie was laughing, heavy and loud chuckles coming from him as he stood and pulled on Richie’s hoodie. This made the trashmouth look down, staring right into those brilliant doe eyes and wanting nothing more than to lean down and steal a kiss. “We’ve got to get home!” He shouted, sounding suddenly sober. “Richie! Come on!” 

“Okay, let’s get you home.” Richie shouted over the noise of the storm. They ran all the way to the Tozier house, hand and hand. Although they may never talk about that night again Richie kept the events of the night close, dreaming about it as he floated off to sleep once he had taken care of a drunk friend. 

Eddie liked him.

And that was enough.


	7. Bichie Word: Best Friend

“What are we?” 

The weighted question slipped into the thick air between them, pulling down on the tension like a wire, the initial vibration sparking something in his chest. There used to be an easy answer, before the drunken texts and one night stands. Before the butterfly kisses he felt when Richie thought he was asleep, before the need to reach out and just touch him-to just know that he was there when no one else was-before all of this he could have just said the words without looming reality behind it. 

“We are friends.” He forced, pulling his shirt over is shoulders and praying that lack of belief in his own words didn’t show. “Best friends, have been since we were what? Ten?” 

“Friends don’t do what we just did.” Richie shot right back, sitting in bare naked on the edge of his bed, eyes wide and accusing. “I don’t fuck Beverly, or Eddie or Stan. We are not just friends anymore.” 

Bill sighed, “What do you want me to say here Rich? That we are fuck buddies, that we screw when no one is looking and pretend we didn’t the moment we are done?” 

“Fuck buddies?” He repeated, his face turning upward as if the words was sour in his mouth. “Wow, I’ve been hyping up this way more than you have.” 

“Oh my god.” Bill groaned, almost hurt by Richie’s crass tone. “What in the hell is with you tonight? You’ve been all over the place, I can’t get a read on your attitude.” 

“You want a read on me?” He asked, standing his full height and looming over Bill, his chest puffing outward and glasses slipping down the bride of his nose. “I don’t just fuck you William, I don’t pretend it never happened and go home to my girlfriend who has no idea that I take it up the ass.” 

Bill felt like he had been slapped in the face, like Richie had just leaned forward and got a good one across his cheeks.“Real mature Richie. I never asked for this you know? It was you who text me, you who made the first move, you who-”

“You kissed back.” Richie cut, shaking his head and letting his curls brush across his face. “You always kissed back.” 

His breath hitched in his throat, a scorching pain driving itself right through his rib cage-exactly where his heart used to be. There was no defense to the truth, no barricade he could set up to keep Richie’s words form knocking them right down. Tears welded in his eyes, blurring the his secret lovers figure into an unreadable blob. Never had he felt so goddamn weak, so helpless to something that six months ago should have been a no brainier. William John Denbrough was not gay. He did not like boys, pussy only. 

But.

Richie was different, softer than any woman he had laid with. He was a calm to the raging storm inside, a life preserve in the open sea. When it came to the Tozier boy with a foul mouth and kind eyes, he questioned everything. Especially his heart. 

“I won’t do this anymore.” Richie said, not reaching forward to comfort. “I can’t. You have to choose Bill. Right now. Me or her. The person you are in this bedroom or the person you are out there. I’m done waiting for something that ma never happen.”

Richie. his heart whispered, echoing in his ears. Richie, Richie, Richie. Maybe in another wold it would be simple, in another universe he would curl back in bed with his lover and dream of the future they could have. He would ignore the stares and slurs, wear his love like a bullet proof vest and walk though life so fucking sure of his choice. 

In every way but the way it mattered he chose Richie. 

“I’m sorry Richie.” 

“Me too Bill. Me too.”


	8. Rockstar Richie and Journalist Eddie

Richie groaned, his entire body aching as he tried to rise from his bed. Bones cracked, muscles cried and for a moment he was sure he was going to vomit. The space between his ears throbbed, his throat refusing to work as he tried to call out for his bandmates. He didn’t know what time it was, or what day for that matter. All he knew was that hangovers were a bitch and he was attracting them more and more lately.

Eventually he peeled himself from the sheets, throwing on whatever he could find on the ground and stumbling out into the main foray of the bus. The others didn’t even bother to look up, having become accustomed to the sight of their lead singer’s state. Stan said something under his breath, and Richie couldn’t be bothered to listen instead plopping down on to the couch and laying his head onto Beverly’s soft lap.

He let out a content sigh just as she complained, “You smell like sex and cheep liquor Rich.”

“Oh boo.” Richie replied, rolling his eyes and huffing. “It was Seattle, sue me for having a little fun.”

“That’s all you do now.” Stan hissed, his annoyance interlacing itself in his words. “Sing, drink, sex, repeat.”

“Emphasis on repeat.” Richie cackled, burying his face in Beverly’s skirt. “I’m a rockstar Stanny, you should take a page out of my book and do the same.”

“I would never.” Stan replied with a scowl that ever reached his eyes.

The bus began to rock Richie back into slumber, the soft noise from the radio floating his own voice around them like a lullaby. Things were perfect, or at least as close as they could get. The Losers Club was topping every chart, their shows selling out on the first day. He was literally on a road trip with his four best friends, all of them doing what they had promised to do back in his shitty basement as kids. Perfect, fucking perfect.

Well until-

“Holy shit.” Bill said, followed by a slew of curses. The forcefulness and astonishment in his tone gaining Richie’s attention, making him perk up a little. “Did you guys read the article they did on us in the Rolling Stones?” The magazine crumpled up in his grip as he spoke, “Any of you?”

“No.” They all answered in unison.

“Honestly I didn’t know they did a story on us.” Richie grumbled, scratching his five o’clock shadow. “They didn’t send a reporter.”

“Yes they did.” Mike corrected, “That short guy in Chicago. Remember? You blew him off to go suck face with some groupies in your dressing room.”

“O-Oh.” Richie sputtered for a moment, a faint memory of a cute boy with a lanyard on asking to talk to him and getting offended with Richie suggested they do less talking and more- “That guy was from The Rolling Stones?”

“Yes and no.” Beverly said, forcing Richie to sit as she stood to get the magazine from their bassist. “He’s a freelancer, he’s written for he New York Times and People. Said he goes where the music is, been doing it for years.”

“You talked to him?” Richie asked.

“We all did.” Stan nipped, “Him and his photographer.”

“Oh shit.” Beverly gaped, her eyes following the words on the page. “This isn’t good. Not at all.”

Richie scoffed, “Any press is good press.”

Beverly ignored him as she read, “What really sets this band apart from actual rock bands is their lack of commitment to the music, selling out for cheap thrills and overpriced merchandise. The drummer and bassist are actually brilliant if only you could tune out the screeching noise of the lead singer as he drowns them out with the cat calls he tries to sell as vocals.” This made her gasp, looking over to Richie with absolute fury. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“What? How in the hell is this my fault?” He asked, suddenly sober.

“Oh I don’t know, how about the fact that you were plastered all though Chicago? Or that here lately you’re not even showing up to rehearsals?” Bill accused, his tone sharp and accusing. “This isn’t just some fan review, it’s the fucking Rolling Stones! We could seriously hurt because of this!”

“Oh come on I don’t think one review is going to-”

“Fix this Richie.” Bill growled, cutting him off. “You’ve been slacking off and we we’ve kept out mouths shut because it hasn’t affected our performance but now it has. Fix this or else it’s going to be the end of the Losers Club.”

“How in the hell do you expect me to do that?”

It was all four of them that replied, seemingly at the same time.


	9. Multi Prompt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We could get struck by lightning, but you want to kiss in the rain.
> 
> Are you high?
> 
> Be serious for two minutes, please

It had all turned to shit in a matter of seconds. 

They had been strolling along the river, talking and enjoying their time together when the weather decided to turn on him. Rain came down in sheets, thunder clapped and lightning lit up the dark sky. Of course, people ran because why in the hell wouldn’t they? Any sane person would but Richie held onto Eddie’s arm, trying to justify staying out in the storm just a little bit longer. 

“We could get struck by lightning, but you want to kiss in the rain.” Eddie laughed, the dress shirt he had picked out just for their night out clinging onto him like a second skin. His smile was beaming, his eyes amused and confused at the same time. Richie wanted to kiss him, to pepper him with the love he deserved. “ Are you high?” 

“I wish I was.” Richie shot right back, nervously shifting from one foot to another as yet another couple ran past them, seeking shelter in a nearby store. There was a weight in his pocket, a rock that kept him grounded to the moment. It had been weeks of planning, of awkward calls and getting advice. This moment had literally been years in the making and mother nature just had to fuck him over. “I mean maybe then I wouldn’t feel like I as gong to throw up.” 

“Was it the sushi because I told you not to-” 

“No it’s not he sushi,” Richie cut, shaking his head and pushing the dropping curls from his glasses. There was a terrifying chuckle rumbling in his chest, making him sound like a mad man. Eddie must have picked up on his uneasiness because he stopped trying to cover himself with his jacket and instead faced his boyfriend full on. “It’s you. It’s always been you Eddie.” 

“What’s going on.” Eddie asked, biting his bottom lip. There was a joke made, something from Richie’s go to bank that made the other boy scoff. It had been automatic, but it was wrong in so may ways. “Be serious for two minutes, please. We are standing out here in the middle of a thunderstorm and you look like you’ve seen a fucking ghost. What’s wrong babe? Are you-” Eddie paused, a sob like noise coming from the back of his throat as he adjusted his drenched jeans. “Are you dumping me? In the rain?” 

“What!” Richie shouted, making his boyfriend jump. “Oh my god no! The exact opposite. Why would you think-” 

“Richie.” Eddie warned. 

Ungracefully he shoved his hand into the front of his pants, pulling out a red velvet box that was almost black from the moisture. Dropping to one knee he held it up, his heart pounding so hard against his ribs that it was a wonder how they hadn’t cracked. He forced a smile, even though all he wanted to do was blurt the first thing that came to mind-which was a mom joke-he stuck to the script that Beverly had helped him write. “Eddie Kaspbrak, I’ve loved you since we were thirteen and I know that I’m not the most handsome man or the most sympathetic or whatever but I am hopelessly in love with you. I can’t promise that it’ll be easy or it’ll always be fun but you should know-”

“Yes.” Eddie blurted, making Richie gape up to him. The rain continued to fall, large droplets falling between them making the space seem like miles rather than feet. With a crack of thunder Eddie laughed, really laughed as he dropped to his knees right in front of his lover. Grabbing hold of Richie’s collar he forced the trashmouth forward, kissing him full on the mouth in one feverish display of emotion. “Yes, of course I will marry you.” 

Richie lunged for Eddie, wrapping his long arms around the smaller boys shoulders pulling him into a bone crushing hug. They sat there, in the middle of a raging storm, blissfully unaware of the world around them. It was just the two of them, lost in the moment that changed the course of their lives. Just Richie and Eddie, who never knew anyone other than each other, who deserved and wanted only this. 

Love.

Home.

Forever.


	10. Are you trying to flirt? Because, you’re embarrassing yourself

The liquor was harsh against the back of his throat, burning a trail to his stomach. His once pristine tux now hung off of his shoulders lazily, his tie undone and shirt open. Luckily the open bar welcomed his sorry ass with warm arms, listening to his complaints and his bitter comments. The reception conditioned to rage on behind him, people danced, sang and rejoiced all the while he drowned his sorrows with bourbon. 

“Are you going to sit around and mope or are you going to actually participate?” A sharp voice asked, making Richie flinch. “Your best friend just got married, the least you an do is pretend to be happy.” 

“Listen Beverly,” The name came out in a slur, making his head ache. “I agreed to come, I didn’t agree to be happy.” 

“Wow.” She whistled, unnamed. “You are really going to milk this entire thing aren’t you?” 

“Looks like it.” 

The girl beside him sighed, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder making him cringe at the sympathy that was in the action. Richie didn’t want this, he didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him. He and Bill had broken up over a year ago, so what he had met a pretty young thing in LA and so what they were expecting a baby and getting married. That shouldn’t make him feel so shitty, so worthless and yet here he was with a hole in his heart and a sick feeling in his gut. Life was moving on and as per usual, Richie Tozier was being left behind. 

“Look, why don’t you try and find someone to take home? Huh, a good romp in the sheets would do you good.” 

“Are you suggesting I have a one night stand?” He faked a gasp, clutching his chest and looking over to her swollen belly and annoyed look. “Is Miss ‘commitment is key’ telling me to slum it with some slut?” 

“I didn’t say slut.” Beverly corrected with a snap, “Ben and I are just tired of hearing you bitch about life and if getting your rocks off with someone you will never see again breaks you from this slump then so be it.” 

“Hmmm.” Richie hummed, taking another long drink. “I’ll think about it.” 

Beverly rolled her eyes, “You do that.” She left then, patting his arm and walking away from the stench that came from his breath. 

Richie swirled his bourbon, looking down the length of the bar and watching as a well dressed man stepped up, motioning for the bartender. The guy was cute, with his soft brown hair and gentle eyes. He wasn’t tall or muscular which is what Richie usually went for but desperate times called for desperate measures. Slinking down three seats he forced a smile, brushing back his matted hair and adjusting his glasses. 

“Hey there handsome, you uh-come here often.” 

The guys eyes snapped to him, am annoyed frown crossing his features. “Excuse me?” He asked, offering Richie an escape. 

Which of course, Richie opted to ignore. “I haven’t seen you around before, you a fan of the groom or bride? I bet you are for the groom right?” 

“Are you trying to flirt? Because, you’re embarrassing yourself.” The man snapped, a growl rumbling from the back of his throat. 

“Fuck.” Richie groaned, rubbing his temples forcing the entire charade to melt away. “Yeah, sorry. I haven’t done this in a long time.” 

The guys features softened at the honesty in Richie’s words, his drink being placed in front of him but he ignored it as he turned to face the trashmouth full on. Richie looked up to him, noting how absolutely adorable he looked with his heart shaped face and button nose. “I’m sorry too. I didn’t really want to come here except my friend dragged me because he thought he couldn’t get a date but he found some guy on the dance floor and now I’m drinking alone.” 

“Oh. That sucks.” 

“Yep, story of my life.” 

The music slowed, and it was apparent that it was an indication of some kind of wedding tradition. Richie tried to busy himself, not to watch his ex and his new bride twirl around the dance floor, blissfully unaware of his sullen emotion. “So you didn’t answer, are you here for the bride or the groom?” 

The nameless man raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of his martini. “I honestly thought that was a question to ask if I was gay.” He laughed, the noise so light that Richie felt his head spin. “The bride is a coworker of mine, we were invited because she want’s to transfer into my ward.” 

“Your what?” 

“I’m the head pediatrician of the children ward at Saint Francis hospital.” He explained, shrugging the title off of his shoulder. “Most nurses want to work with kids, they are so much nicer than adults. Audra has been trying to transfer for months.” 

“Ah, so a doctor huh? That’s hot.” 

“Right, sure.” He jeered, scoffing. “Long hours and late nights. Totally screw worthy.” 

“Meh, you would be surprised, a lot of people have a doctor fetish. Me included” It was just an add in, an shot in the dark but it caught the man’s attention none the less. Richie sputtered for a moment, the words lacking until he finally spat out. “Honestly I was just looking for a one night stand but I can see you’re not that type of person. It’s just nice to talk to someone who isn’t gushing over the lovely couple.” 

“A one night stand huh?” The guy asked, tapping a finger against his drink as he hummed. “What are you having some kind of self destruction streak?” 

“Kinda.” Richie admitted, “The groom is my ex.” 

“Oh really?” The man asked, turning his head and staring at the dance floor for a moment before coming back to Richie. “Do you have a room upstairs?” 

“I do but I don’t think-”

“Alright let’s go.” He cut, downing his martini in one gulp, whipping his lips against his extensive suit. “Mike’s gone and I’ll have to call a cab anyways so might as well end this shitty night with a bang.” 

“W-what?” Richie sputtered, gaping awkwardly. 

“You’re attractive, in your own dorky looking way. I’m sure you are acquitted in bed but I’ve got to be honest, it has been a long time since I’ve well-you know.” 

The song behind them ended, the venue erupting in a cloud of cheers. Richie couldn’t pry himself from the man that stood before him, the once caramel eyes now dark and lustful. It was like some kind of movie, a shitty romcom that ended with a cut sex scene and shitty confession. Still, there was an appeal to the man, a honest feeling boiling in the pit of his stomach. “I don’t even know your name.” Richie confessed, slightly whimpering as the man placed a scorching palm on his inner thigh, leaning to whisper into his ear as if it was a secret. 

“Eddie.” 

“Richie.” He replied back, chewing on his inner cheep to conceal the moan in the back of his throat. 

“Well Richie, are you going to take me upstairs or what?” 

Fuck, Richie thought as he lead the eager man though the sea of people and towards the exit. This guy is going to be the death of me.


	11. Angel Eddie and Demon Richie

He could smell it.

Even before he took to the staircase, before he entered the home, he could smell it. It was in the air, hanging heavily, screaming terrible sins for all to hear. As he began the short climb to the room his nose began to burn, the copper becoming almost too much. He didn’t know what to expect, not really. His lover had been unpredictable as of late, spewing thing that would even make a demon cringe. It was almost like he was becoming another person and Richie was terrified.

The front door was locked. Standing on his tippy toes, Richie plucked he spare key from it’s perch and let himself in. The smell was a hundred times worse inside. Feathers and blood littered the floor, looking like there had been some kind of struggle. His throat clenched, the scene making him nearly topple over and vomit. There was a second of silence that he used to compose himself, pulling himself back together.

“E-Eddie?” Richie choked, stepping further inside. “Baby, are you here?”

His sensitive ears picked up a slight whimper. Following the trail of crimson he found himself outside of the bathroom door, the potent scent seemingly originating from the small room. Richie whispered Eddie’s name again, begging for validation. When nothing came he pushed the door, allowing it to swing open.

In that moment Richie did turn his head and puke.

It was a bloodbath, the floor covered in white and red, every inch painted with the gruesome masterpiece. Propped up against the was Eddies shaking form, his hands gripping onto Richie’s demon blade. His face was pale, skin slick with sweat, hair falling into his closed eyes. Richie had never seen him so shaken. “Eddie?” The demon whimpered, trying his best to keep from crumbling. Fighting against his screaming nerves, Richie stepped through the threshold, trying to keep his composure. “What have you done?”

The small man laughed, his hollow and demented tone sending shivers through Richie’s entire body. “I was tired of being a puppet, of being forced into doing things that I never wanted to do.” He sighed, adjusting his weight under him. “Now there are no strings.”

Although he didn’t understand why, Richie found himself peering over into the edge of the tub, feeling an urgent need gnaw at his insides. That was where they lay, two holy divinity pieces that had been given by the hand of god. Even in their current state, they were the most beautiful things Richie had ever seen. Once, long before Eddie had fallen, he had seen them in their entire glory it was then he had known that his life would never be the same.

But now.

The wings lay in a heap, blood tainting their pristine color. Looking back to Eddie he wondered how he had even done it, how he had found the strength to cut off a piece of himself. Tears clumped together in his lashes, threatening to fall down his face. “Why did you do this? Why would you mutilate yourself?”

“I’m free now.” Eddie replied in a soft whisper, a smile playing on his lips. “I’m finally free.”

Richie knet in front of him and pulled him close, wrapping his arms around his shoulders. The smell was almost unbearable, blood still seeping from the large gashes. There were so many things that needed to be said, so many things that needed to be discussed but for now, in this grim moment, Richie knew that all that could wait.

“I’m sorry.” The demon whispered, burying his face deep into the crevice of his lovers neck, holding him as he began to sob. “I’m so sorry Eds.”


	12. Beverly and Richie's Competition

He wasn’t sure exactly when it had started.

Maybe it was when they had both first saw her, strutting into the lecture hall the first day, wearing tight workout pants and a nearly see though tank top. Maybe it was when Beverly commented about her hotness, or how she had talked to him like the girl was already her. Or perhaps it when the girl was confessing her sexuality, admitting that she found both of them attractive. Whenever it was, or for whatever reason, Richie now found himself in a six month long battle to woo her.

Beverly was relentless, her tactics much more planed and less obvious. It was a cup of coffee and a smile, acknowledgement of her hobbies, a shoulder to cry on. They were friends, that much Richie knew but what was still unclear was how it had come so suddenly. Richie himself was having a problem connecting, his conversation lagging or awkward, his jokes poorly timed. He just couldn’t get his shit together.

But he wasn’t willing to give up.

“Hey Sara.” He said lightly, walking up to her spot in the quad. “How are you doing today?”

She looked up from her textbook, her beautiful jade eyes gazing up at him. A smile growing on her face making his heart flutter. “Hey Richie, I’m okay. Just trying to get some light reading in.”

“Oh yeah?” He mused, taking a set beside her, his back against the large oak. “Whatcha reading?”

“Little Women.”

“Oh, that’s a good one.”

“You’ve read it?”

“Nope.”

Sara giggled, the noise like bells in his ears. Her hand reached up to his shoulder, shoving him. This made his face fluster, her hand branding the spot she had touched. “You should, it’s very good.” She sang, “It’ll change your life.”

“Maybe you can tell me about it over dinner tonight.” Yes. Smooth, so fucking smooth. Richie felt pride bubbling in his stomach, overly excited that he had nailed it. His smile was bright and hopeful as he looked up to her with puppy eyes, practically begging for her attention.

“I can’t.” His heart dropped. “I already promised Eddie.”

“Eddie?”

“That’s me.” Richie jumped at the sudden sarcastic voice that had come from the other side of Sara, a short boy sitting cross-legged on the other side of the tree. Had he been there the entire time? Richie thought, surly not. “Hi, yeah I’ve been here the entire time.” Shit.

“Oh stop being rude.” Sara nipped, her black hair moving against her collar bone as she snapped her head to her friend. “Richie is a friend.”

Eddie snorted. “He’s just trying to get in your pants.”

“He is not!” She screeched, shaking her head. “Not every person I meet is trying to get in my pants Eddie!”

The boy rolled his eyes, leaning over her to look at Richie. His eyes were unamused, glazed over by his apparent disgust. “When is Sara’s birthday?” The tone he took was calm and collected, his lips creating a straight line on his face.”

“Uh.” Richie stumbled, looking at the boy who dared call his bluff. “Decemberish.”

“July 18th.” He replied coldly, “Not even close.”

“Well we haven’t gotten that far okay? I’m sure I would have remembered if she had told me.” Richie defended, spitting his harsh words in Eddie’s face. “I’m not some tool.”

“Right, and the red head isn’t competing with you?” He asked, brow raised. “That’s just a coincidence huh?”

Richie’s face flushed, the feeling of bareness now flooding his senses. He opened his mouth to respond, to defend his actions but all that was audible was a surprised squeak. Luckily, Sara chimed in, saving his sorry ass. “He and Beverly are not competing for me. What is this high school?”

“The game is still the same.” Eddie brushed, huffing as he leaned back into place. “Different environment but same plays.”

“What and you aren’t interested in Sara? I mean look at her, she’s beautiful.”

“I’m gay.”

“Fuck me.”

“No, I have standards, thank you very much.” He quipped, a satisfied smirk crossing his features. Richie wanted to punch that smug grin off of his face, to tell him to just back off because he was ruining everything.

Looking over to Sara he noticed her annoyed look, her eyes glaring at Eddie. “You are such a pain sometimes you know that?”

“Yes. I’m aware, but that’s why I’m your best friend.”

There was a beeping noise from Sara’s phone, bringing the two from their conversation. “Shit.” Gathering her things she stood, offering an apologetic look. “I’m sorry Richie, I’ve got to get to class but if you want to hang out we are going to Sadie’s Bar at eight o’clock. Meet us there! Beverly’s coming.”

“Of course she is.” Richie grumbled, “I’ll be there.”

“Great!” She exclaimed. “See you then.” Then she turned, hurrying towards the large nearby building. His gaze lingered in places that were very un-gentlemanlike, his heart skipping a beat at the sight. A smile grew on his face, realizing that he was almost beating Beverly at her own game.

Check.

“It’s not going to work you know.”

Richie groaned, glancing over to the boy who he had once again forgotten was there. “You’re still here?” He bit, feeling anger slide into his words.

"Nice.” Eddie sarcastically muttered, standing up and picking up his book bag. “I’m glad Beverly’s winning because, frankly, you’re an ass.”

“Yeah well she has an unfair advantage, girl’s intuition and things.”

Eddie raised a brow. “Girl intuition?”

“Yes. Beverly always knows what kind of coffee Sara likes or what new thing she’s into. It’s as if she’s one step ahead of me, and it’s not fucking fair. I’m trying so hard and it’s just easy for her.” Richie explained, not sure why the vomit was coming from his mouth. “It’s an uphill battle.”

“Beverly didn’t learn all those things from girl’s intuition.”

“Oh yeah, then how did she know.”

“I told her.”

“What?” Richie blinked, watching the boy above him flash his winning grin again. ”Why would you do that?”

Eddie shrugged, “Because I play for the winning team.”

Ouch.

The music was too loud, engulfing any conversation that he tried to have. As soon as he had arrived he was met with the sight of Beverly practically all over Sara, her hands gripping on the girl’s thigh as she leaned in to talk in her ear. Sara’s face lit up, her laughter barely audible over the base. Richie huffed in annoyance, making his way to their booth.

Sara grinned, noticing him first. “Richie!” She yelled, stumbling from the booth to hug him. Her breath reeked of alcohol, making him feel uncomfortable. Once she pulled away she gestured to the red head, “Beverly’s been keeping me company. I’m so glad you made it.”

Richie’s eyes narrowed, “Beverly.”

“Hey Rich.” She jeered, smiling. “How’s it going?”

“Great, just great.” He slumped down in the booth, cursing under his breath. Looking around he noticed one annoying face missing. “Where’s that short stack?”

“Oh, he goes on in a minute.” Beverly replied, taking a drink form her long island.

“Goes on?”

The band on stage finished, their set ending on a rather shitty note. People clapped lazily, some drunks shouting out. A grungy looking man took stage, his voice raspy and deep. “Alright, up next we have the Losers Club. Give it up!”

Sara and Beverly cheered. Richie was confused until he saw Eddie and three others take stage. At least he thought it was Eddie, the kid looked completely different than he had earlier, forgoing his puffy jacket and sweats for a pair of ripped skinnies and black faded t. The short boy waved to the table, adjusting the microphone to his height.

Looking to the lanky boy to his left he nodded and the other boy began to countdown. “1…2…1..2..3..4”

I remember going

Out to see the big rocks

Went without you knowing

Hope you’re not too mad

I go a lot- I go a lot

“He’s in a band?” Richie yelled to Sara, surprised at the strong voice the short kid held. The two nodded, their screams becoming louder as Eddie’s guitar sang out for them.

I remember weekends

‘for we got too cool for them

And I remember thinking

Maybe we could pretend tonight

For just one tonight

I wanna wake up with you

I wanna wake up feeling tired

I wanna wake up with you

I wanna lay there for awhile

“Jesus their good!” He yelled, which only earned an annoyed look from the two girls. “I mean like really good!”

"Duh.” Beverly replied, “They’re the best on campus.”

But that don’t change that you’re a liar, a liar

Hold yourself up higher and higher

Cuz I’m not buying all the things you wanna say

I’ve heard ‘em all before and now anyway

You’re such a liar

My favorite liar

"Beverly helped him with the song!” Sara exclaimed, her face beaming with pride. “Isn’t it catchy.”

“Yeah. I didn’t know you could write lyrics Bev.”

The red head smirked, leaning in closer. “I’m full of surprises.”

I remember weekends

Fighting over everything

I can almost taste it

The bloody lip you left me with that night

Kiss me one last time

I wanna wake up with you

I wanna show you what it’s like

I wanna be the one to show you what

You’re missing every night Oh every night

It’s too bad that you’re a Liar, a liar

Hold yourself up higher and higher

‘Cause I’m not buying the things you wanna say

I’ve heard ‘em all now anyway

You’re such a liar

My favorite liar

Richie pried his eyes from the stage just in time to see Beverly lean in and whispered something into Sara’s ear, something that made her face turn red. His heart ached, watching the girl he liked become something that he couldn’t have. He knew his opponent was moving their queen into position, challenging Richie’s play.

He was in check.

I’ve got room to grow

I know I’m missing home

But you think I’m alone

And I think you should know

That I’ve got pretty girls

Yeah, I’ve got pretty girls taking me home

I wanna wake up with you I

wanna lay there for awhile

I wanna wake up with you

I wanna wake up feel alive

It’s just too bad that you’re a

Liar, a liar

Cast me into your fire, your fire

‘Cause I will never be less than what you want

I’ve got good news I’m heading off

To start a fire, a fire Liar, a liar

Hold yourself up higher and higher

‘Case I’m not buying the things you wanna say

I’ve heard ‘em all now anyway

You’re such a liar

My favorite liar

Looking back to the band Richie knew he needed help, and figured the perfect person to ask was the one who had been playing for the other side. As he watched Eddie he felt a devious smile curl on his face, an idea blinking in his head. Maybe the game wasn’t over, if he could get another pawn he could challenge Beverly’s play.

Only problem was that the small boy was on tough piece of ass.

I remember waking up in

Colorado

You said that it was raining

I tried to hide away, but you said no

You made me love the rain

When they finished the entire place was on their feet, yelling in approval. Even Richie stood, impressed by the bands performance. It took a few moments but eventually the four boys stepped off stage, giving someone a chance to step into their very big shoes.

Eddie strolled over, where Sara immediately pulled him into a hug, “Oh god, you were so good! That song was amazing!”

Eddie chuckled, wrapping his arms around her small frame. “Thank you, we couldn’t have done it without Beverly’s help.”

“Taws nothing” She replied, raising her glass.

“Oh let me buy your band a round of shots!” Sara gleefully yelled, prying herself from Eddie. “You guys deserve it.”

Beverly moved from the booth, shooting a glance back at Richie. “Let me help. That’s a lot to carry.” The two left, disappearing in the sea of people.

Richie felt suddenly embarrassed, shifting his seat. “I didn’t know you played.” He muttered, gaining Eddie’s attention. “I mean you don’t look like-“

“I know.” He replied, rolling his eyes. “I get that a lot.”

“Oh god.” The curly haired boy beside him cooed, “Is this the guy?”

Eddie laughed, scooting into the booth, followed by his bandmates. “Yeah, it’s the guy.”

“I have a name.” Richie bit, eyeing the short boy.

“Yeah, we are aware.” A darker boy replied, “And quite an ego apparently.”

“I’ll s-s-say.”

Richie felt his face fluster, his gaze lingering on Eddie’s amused look. With a heavy sigh he leaned forward, placing his elbows on the sticky table. “Look, I we started off rocky. I’m sorry I was so rude, I really do like Sara.”

“So does that Beverly girl.” The curly haired boy said, gesturing towards the bar. “But she had Eddie on her side, so you are fucking screwed.”

Richie rubbed the back of his head. “About that.” 

“Nope.” Eddie hissed, popping his mouth.

“Oh come on.”

“Nuh huh.”

“Please? I’m desperate.”

Eddie’s eyes burned his skin, his heated gaze branding him. He pursed his lips, leaning so that he was matching Richie’s position. “Even if I helped you, which I won’t. You are too late.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Sara is gone and so is your friend Beverly.”

Richie shot up, looking for any sign that what the small boy had said was untrue but as his eyes scanned the cowed he saw nothing to prove otherwise. There was a twist in his stomach, his play blowing up in his face. “Fuck!” He hissed, slamming himself back into the booth. “God damn it.”

“Let me give you some advice.” Eddie said, crossing his arms.

“Oh please do.” Richie replied sarcastically, his annoyance now peaking. “Advice form the gay best friend, how helpful.”

The other boys laughed, their voices like cheers for Beverly’s team. Eddie smirked, surprising Richie. “She likes caramel lattes. No foam.” His tone was sincere, licking his lips he continued, glancing at his friends who nodded. “From Starbucks.”

“Thanks for nothing.” Richie huffed, stepping out of the booth.

“You’re welcome asshole.”

Richie held the hot coffee close to him, making sure that he didn’t spill a drop as he climbed the stairs. The smell of caramel wafted up to him, making his nose burn. He could feel his heart pond against his chest, his eagerness building with each step he gained.

Stepping in front of Sara’s apartment he took a moment to try and tame his wild hair, running his fingers through the matted parts and cursing when he caught a knot. Once he was satisfied he smiled, shifting on his feet and knocking. There was a flutter of excitement as the door opened, making him shiver.

Then his face fell.

“Asshole!” The short boy greeted, his pajamas hanging loosely from his frame. “I knew you’d come.”

“Where is Sara?” He growled, ignoring the scent of lilac that seemed to seep from the kid before him.

“My roommate never made it home last night, texted me to not wait up.”

With a long groan Richie hissed, “Fucking Beverly.”

“Yeah probably.” Eddie mused, taking a step forward and taking the coffee from Richie’s hands. “But thanks for the get up. Starbucks is always so packed in the mornings.”

“That’s Sara’s favorite drink.”

“Is it?”

It was like he was hit with a truck, a sudden realization washing over him like a bucket of water. He was being played, the pawn became the queen. Check. Mate. He should be mad, furious even but as he watched Eddie’s smirk grow, something inside of him began to build. Maybe it was an appreciation for his cleverness, or maybe it was something entirely different.

“Do you want to go grab breakfast?” Richie asked, licking his lips.

Eddie shot him a sideways glance, taking a sip of his drink. “Hmmm.” He hummed, tapping his finger in the foam. “No.” Richie’s heart dropped. “But bring me a coffee tomorrow and then we will talk.”

It seemed that in the wake of his failure, Richie found a better game to play.


	13. Soulmate Au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On some days, whatever you soulmate thinks of something you can hear it in your mind and your soulmate is currently reading really hardcore smut and you’re trying so hard not to mess up this class presentation which shoulders half your mark for the semester

“So you have your notes?”

“Yes.”

“And your talking points?”

“Yes.”

“And your-“

“Yes Stanley, I have everything.” Richie huffed, handing all of his paperwork over to his partner. Stan shook his head, muttering under his breath as he began to inspect everything, looking over Richie’s work three times over.

“Okay, yeah I think it’s all here.” He breathed, adding his own papers to the stack and handing Richie back his talking points. “I think we are actually going to pull this off.”

“I sure hope so because I can’t fail this class, it’s a required credit.” Richie replied, the lecture hall erupting in claps, indicating the end of someone else’s presentation. “And I literally cannot afford to re-take this class.”

“Its fine, we are going fine.” Stan whispered to himself, bouncing on the balls of his feet anxiously. “Relax, relax, relax.”

This obsessive behavior bothered Richie but he let it slide, knowing how stressful this presentation was and how much pressure they both had been under. One out three groups failed, making it the most brutal final on campus, it was important. Extremely important.

His hands roamed down his lover’s body, caressing the small of their back.

“Oh shit.” Richie whispered, his head snapping upward. “Oh fuck not now.”

“What?” Stan asked, the doors to the hall opening, allowing the other group to exit.

There was a faint whimper that seemed to capture the moment, her soft tone earning a spike in Fernando’s already painfully hard erection.

“My soulmate is reading smut.” He groaned, shaking his head and hoping that the vulgar words would leave his mind, but of course it didn’t work like that. Nothing ever seemed to work in Richie’s favor.

Stan gaped, watching his friend pull at the hair on his head. “What like a romance novel?”

“Fuck me.” She whispered in to his ear, the pleading tone in his voice making them both moan with unmet desire.

“No like written porn, oh Jesus Christ, and a graphic one at that.” Richie whined, trying to tune out the sex scene that seemed to be forming in his head. “Why now, why does it have to be now?”

“Well think of something else!” His partner choked.

“You know that’s impossible Stan!”

“Excuse me, gentleman?” The teacher whispered, sticking her head out of the classroom and glancing over to the two of them. She raised an unamused brow, gesturing back inside. “Are you two ready or do you need another minute?”

“No we are ready Professor, we will be right in.” Stan managed, offering a nervous smile. This sufficed for their teacher, who nodded and disappeared behind the wall. “Okay Richie,” He hissed, grabbing hold of his friend’s shoulders. “You need to fight through it okay? Just read your notes and everything will be fine.”

Fernando obliged, angling himself with her entrance, taking a long moment to allow the waves of passion crash into his throbbing, swollen cock. With one final breath, he entered her, her surprised gasp slipping down his skin like honey.

“Okay.” Richie gulped, “Okay, I can do this. I just need to focus.”

Stan nodded, leading them into the lecture hall where the entire class, plus the professor were waiting for them. Richie could already feel himself sweat, his soulmate containing their torture with every sinful word they read. Once they made it to the front, Stan introduced them and explained their theory.

“Okay Mr. Uris, Mr. Tozier, you man begin your presentation.”

Richie offered a broken smile, reading his speaking notes verbatim and trying his best to ignore the scene that was being painted in his mind. “We are here today to justify the decision of Roe V Wade, an abortion law that was passed in-

“You feel so good inside of me.” She managed through her building orgasm. “I want this, I want it so bad. Please don’t stop.

There was a moment where Richie choked on his words, squeezing his eyes shut he pushed through his statement, his voice cracking a few times but he managed pass the subject back to his partner. Stan spoke smoothly, making up for Richie’s utter flatness and horrible break up of words.

Looking up he noticed his classmates staring at him, their worrying eyes burning his skin. It took all his strength not to scream in frustration, to just explain the very embarrassing thing that was happening to him so that they could actually pass this god forsaken class.

Fernando didn’t know how much he could take, he was near his end, his very being questioning his existence up unit now and-wait-what is wrong with this guy? Why does he look so fucking scared up there? God, doesn’t he know this is for half his grade?

Richie’s eyes scanned the room, the sudden change in his head taking him by surprise. Eventually his gaze met a young boys, his auburn eyes staring back to him with interest. The boy put down the book in his hands, moving to the taller kid beside him he whispered something that Richie couldn’t hear.

“Hey!” Stan hissed, nudging him in the arm. “Your turn.”

“Uh-Right sorry.” Richie cleared his throat, thankful for the smut to have died down. “Well like my partner had explained, the percentage of woman killed during at home aborting in the years following the supreme court’s decision declined-“

Okay good, for a minute I thought that kid could hear my thoughts. Fuck that would be embarrassing. I need to learn to just read this shit at home, if someone knew what I was doing I think I would die.

Richie couldn’t help the smirk that grew on his face, his eyes shifting upward towards the pretty boy in the back who now had taken a sudden interest in the celling. Every so often he would sigh, a singular thought running through his mind.

I need to get laid.

“So that is our conclusion.” Stan finished proudly, tapping his notes on the podium and smiling over to his partner. “We will now take any questions.”

Their friend Beverly, who was sitting near the middle of the class raised her hand, a devious smile playing on her lips. Richie called on her and she stood up. “Yeah I was wondering what was wrong with you at the beginning, you were kind of stuttering over your words.”

“You don’t have to answer that Mr. Tozier.” The profession hissed, shooting Beverly a harsh look. “That has nothing to do with your topic and-“

“It’s okay.” Richie protested, his eyes glancing up at the boy up top. “My soulmate was reading very graphic, very embarrassing smut and it caught me off guard.”

The class erupted in laughter, even Stan himself breaking into a small, controlled giggle. Richie watched his soulmate’s mouth drop open, his eyes widening in surprise and his face turning beat read. He proceeded then to slam his head on top of his desk, his shoulders slouching in defeat.

In the end, Richie and Stanley had passed, but more importantly, Richie found his soulmate in a horrified Eddie Kaspbrak.


	14. Siren Eddie and Pirate Richie

Fire.

Screams. 

It all replayed behind his closed lids, the horrors of the previous night playing over and over again in his mind. Consciousness dances along his skin, digging its nails into his skin, begging for his attention. It took all he had to fight against it, trying to keep the darkness rather than face the light. He felt his head throb, his brain pulsating against his skull. 

“Ugh.” He groaned, rolling onto his side. Opening his eyes he was hit with a wave of confusion, not recognizing the rocky cave. “What the fuck?” 

Water washed against his body, forcing him to notice the salty taste on his lips. He figured he must be near a rocky shore, the opening to the watery cave only a few feet away from where he lay, protected from the pouring down rain. As he tried to sit he was met with excruciating pain, his entire body disagreeing with the movement. 

“Are you alive?” The voice seemed to come from nowhere, making Richie jump in surprise. He found the source of the noise, meeting the gaze of a boy who was half hidden by the water under him, floating out in the water. “Weird, I thought you dead.” 

He sounded…disappointed? 

Richie was over taken by the the boy’s beauty, his cheek bones seemingly sculpted by the gods themselves. Water dripped down his exposed chest, his chocolate eyes scanning over him with curiosity dancing in them. “Who are you? Where is the rest of the crew? What happened to my-ah my head?” 

“Ship wreck.” He replied coldly, “You hit our rocks, caption misjudged the storm I assume, couldn’t see through the rain.” 

“W-Wrecked? Fuck, where is the rest of them? Where is my-” Richie stopped, noticing the boys shaking head. “Dead. Their dead aren’t they?” 

“Yes. I’m assuming the others are feasting on-” His explanation dying as Richie’s face dropped suddenly, tears welding up in his eyes. “Sorry, I-uh don’t speak to many humans. I found you floating on some drift wood, took you here to see if you would wake or not.” 

Richie was suddenly aware of his vulnerability, noticing the exposed scales along the boys neck, their blue shine catching his eye and making his stomach drop. “A siren? We hit a siren’s den?” 

The boy flinched at his disgusted tone, dipping lower into the water. “Yes.” He whispered, glancing over his shoulder towards the storm. “The others won’t find you, I took you out of our territory, on the north side of the island.” 

“Did you save me?” Richie whispered, digging his heels into the rock as he pushed himself further into the rocks behind him. He watched the boy nod, “Why.” 

The boy eyed him, blinking in his direction. For a moment the only noise that filled the space between them was that of the storm, the lightning bouncing against the walls of the cave. Eventually the boy replied softly, his tail flicking on the surface for a brief moment. 

“I don’t know.”


	15. Super Hero Richie and Super Villain Eddie

“Do it. Do it now Richie.” 

The gun was like lead in his hands, weighing him down to the moment. Sirens screamed behind them as civilians began to scatter, fleeing from the continuation of events that had began with the man before him. Tears burned his skin as they fell down his face, creating valleys along his cheek. His lungs refused to corporate, submerging him in his own fear. He was drowning but there was no one to save the hero. 

“I can save you!” Richie choked, his own voice breaking without his permission. “I can-please, please let me help you Eddie. Please.” 

How had it come to this? When did the little boy from Derry, who carried around his aspirator and believed in the strength of friendship become the monster who haunted his dreams. This wasn’t Eddie, not anymore. His once bright and caring eyes were gone, replaced by sunken holes, emptiness running deep with in them. The porcelain skin that he had worn his entire childhood now looked almost yellow, aged beyond the years he had lived. He was a ghost, a separator and pariah to society. 

But he was still his Eds. 

“Just put down the trigger.” The so called hero managed through his sob, “I don’t want to do this.” 

Eddie shook his head, his gaze shifting between the nine millimeter and the face of his oldest friend. “You have to. It’s your job.” He whispered gently, a piece of his humanity interlacing itself within his words. “You’re their hero Rich, and I’m their villain.” 

“Fuck them!” He hissed, his grip wavering slightly. “Just come with me, just run away please. It can be like the olden days Eds, just me and you. We can make it work-we can-we can-”

“Richie.” Eddie cut gently, taking a few steps forward, closing the small gap between them. “I’m not going to stop. I can’t, not anymore. You know this, you can fell it just like I can.” His head leaned forward, resting on the barrel of the gun. Richie could see his tears, they were like raindrops in the ocean.

“I can save you.” Richie whispered again, “Please.” 

“You can’t save me baby.” He replied softly, his pressure at the end of the gun continuing. “But you can be my savior.” 

“Eddie.” 

The monster took in a ragged breath, his auburn eyes meeting his friends, pleading for something not yet seen. “Do it Richie. It’s the right thing.” 

“I love you.” Richie confessed, the noise under them escalating, signaling the arrival of his friends. Deep down he knew an excitation was the most humane way of ending this entire fiasco. Eddie wouldn’t survive in a cell, he was already trapped within his own mind, jailed by depression and guilt. 

“I love you too. I always have.” 

Richie took in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and pulled the trigger.


	16. Witches

“Why would you do this to us?” Eddie choked though a sob, clawing at the tender flesh of his wrist. “We don’t use dark magic! We aren’t them!”

“I didn’t have a choice.” Richie whispered, the space between them seemingly growing with every passing second. His lungs felt heavy in his chest, weighing him down to this moment and drowning him at sea. “I was going to lose you.”

“And this is better?” Eddie asked, tears streaming down his redden face. It was like he wasn’t even here, everything felt so wrong around him. The air, the earth, all of it was just an empty shell now, a cage to keep him together. “Is this what you wanted?”

“No.” He replied, his eyes filling with his own pitiful tears. “No, this is not what I wanted. I just wanted you back. I would be so lost without you, I just wanted you to stay with me.”

Eddie could feel himself detreating with each second that skipped by. His vessel rejected his new self, making each step more panful than the last. This was selfish, all of it was. He crumbled then, forever frozen in time, never changing, never growing. All he could do was weep for who he had been and fear who he had become. “I thought you loved me.” He whimpered into his knees.

Richie moved to the floor, kneeling in front of his love. “I love you more than anything Eddie. I’ll find a way to fix this, I swear on my life.” Gently he reached out, moving his hand to trace the broken boy’s cheek. As soon as they touched, the skin withered, melting away and leaving a gaping hole. Richie felt his heart clench at the sight, a part of himself dying in that moment.

So close and yet so far. Two lovers separated by circumstance, and forever divided by the very lines of life and death. Magic is wondrous. As long as you use it wisely.


	17. Let's Run Away Together

They stared up at the sea of stars, the constellations dancing with one another, creating a masterpiece in the sky. The warm July evening kept them comfortable, the blankets that they had brought were scattered around them, only used to keep them from laying directly on the cool metal on the bed of the truck. Richie had driven completely out of town, away from the city that hated them, giving them a break from the illumination of the town. They were in the middle of nowhere but for some weird reason, to Eddie, they were right where they were meant to be.

Richie’s long arm snaked around Eddie’s petite waist, pulling him closer. The shorter boy suppresses a giggle, his heart beating into his ears. “It’s so beautiful Rich.” Eddie whispers, laying his head gently onto his boyfriend’s chest. “I love it.”

“I love you.” Richie replied in a whisper, gently kissing the top of his lovers head.

Eddie tightened his grip on Richie’s shirt, grabbing a fist full of the fabric. “Promise?” He whimpered, feeling a new wave of emotion crash into him. As of late, things had begun to get complicated. With the end of high school, the losers club were off to college, only problem was they were scattering. Bev and Ben were heading out to Nebraska, Stan and Mike to Florida, Bill to England. Even Richie and Eddie were splitting, the trahsmouth landing a full ride to a school in LA while he was headed for New York. Although they had refused to talk about it, this was their last summer.

“Always Eddie.” Richie replied softly. “I will always love you, I promise.”

There was a sniffle, Eddie’s thoughts distanced themselves from their evening, He couldn’t’ help but dread the end of the month, its deafening date becoming closer and closer. “Do you honestly think we will make it?” He found himself asking, his voice trembling with each word. “Long distance relationships never work Rich, statically they-“

“What did I tell you about those statistics?”

Eddie’s stomach churned, feeling Richie’s gaze burn his face. “That they aren’t us.” He replied, just above a whimper.

“That’s right.” The trashmouth nodded, sitting up and leaning on his elbows. He moved his hand, gripping onto Eddie’s chin and tilting it upwards to meet his stern gaze. “Those people, they aren’t us Eds. We can make this work, I know it. I have loved you since the sixth grade, millage will never change that.”

“But-“

“If you’re so worried about it then let’s run away together.”

Eddie waited for the humor to appear in his eyes, for him to make a crude joke but it never came. The small boy shivered, looking into his boyfriends auburn eyes, the seriousness holding strong. “Richie we can’t-“

“Yes we can. We can do whatever you want.” He nipped, cutting Eddie off. “If you honestly think we won’t make it, if there is a shadow of doubt in your mind, then let’s just say screw it to it all and run away because I would rather give it all up and be with you than live without you in my life.”

Richie’s hand traced Eddie’s porcelain cheeks, wiping away the tears that had begun to fall. With a small chuckle, he leaned his forehead against his, sighing with satisfaction as his chest began to swell. “I love you Eddie Kaspbrak, for better or worse, near or far, there is nothing that can take me away from you.”

“Not even a million men or more?” Richie laughed, his voice like bells against Eddie’s ears.

“No.” He whispered, kissing Eddie’s forehead, “Not even that.” They staid like that for a long time, until eventually they laid back down to enjoy the remainder of the night.

Maybe Richie was right, maybe they could make it. One thing was abundantly clear as Richie cuddled with him, his nimble fingers tracing patters along his pack, Eddie loved this boy with his entire heart and nothing could ever change that. It was them against the world.


	18. Are You Okay?

The night was especially cold. August had given away into the early fall month, chasing away the warm summer evenings with a cold breeze. Now the wind bit at his skin, nipping at his nerves with such force that he couldn’t help but shiver. All could look at was his feet, his worn converse were dirty and just about two sizes too small for him. Blood trailed down the cut on his face, falling from his chin and spilling onto the asphalt below. 

Each drop created a larger pool than the one before. The redness of it mocked him, reminding him of his father’s face. He had been so angry. So angry at him. It had been the shards of his beer bottle that had cut him, that had sliced open his skin. If it had been a millimeter to the left or if Richie had been a second slower than it would have hit his face, undoubtedly earning another trip to the ER.

He hadn’t made it far out of his house before he couldn’t walk any further, settling on the park bench outside of the grade school. There weren’t any tears because there never were. He hadnn’t broken down in years, now it was just a passing thing. Bad grade? Beating. Smart mouth? Beating. Stop daddy from beating mommy? Pounding.

Over and over, it was a cycle. Just like the seasons, predictable and normal.

“Richie?” The trashmouth’s head snapped up, meeting the gaze of the smallest loser. His cheek was red and swollen, his eyes dripping with fresh tears. Richie could only gape, unsure if what he was seeing was real or not. “Are you okay?”

Eddie dropped his bike, taking the few steps over to where he sat, kneeling down in front of him. “Oh god, you’re bleeding.” He whimpered, opening his fanny pack and fumbling with its contents. “Okay, this is going to sting.”

Well, he wasn’t lying. Richie hissed as the antibiotic wipe made contact with his wound, the blood soaking into its fibers. “What are you doing here Eds? What happened to your face, why are you-”

“Stop moving.” Eddie growled, tossing the wipe aside and grabbing a bandaid. “You keep moving and it’s making-”

“Eddie.” Richie whispered, grabbing hold of his frail wrists. The boy’s doe eyes met his, the pain behind his stare burning his skin. “What’s going on?”

The stout boy dropped his gaze, looking at something between them that was unseen. “Nothing.” Eddie muttered, prying his wrist from Richie’s hold. “Don’t worry about it.”

The trashmouth watched him, the tension between them thick and fuzzy. None of this was right, Richie had spent countless nights on this bench, never disturbed, especially not by one of his friends. Once the bandaid was placed on his face, Eddie pulled back, standing up where he was. He nodded, walking back to his bike.

“Did your mom do that to you?” Richie found himself asking, “Did she hit you Eddie?”

The small boy sighed, gripping onto his handlebars tightly. Maybe he didn’t look up because he couldn’t, or maybe because he was ashamed, either way when he finally spoke it was to his shoes. “It’s nothing compared to you Rich. Not even close.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s okay.” He replied, watching Eddie squirm in his own skin. “That doesn’t mean she can get away with it.”

“I talked back.” He whimpered, sniffling. “I wouldn’t take my pills, I tried to tell her that they make me puke, that I can’t eat when I take them but she wouldn’t listen. She told me I was sick, that because I like boys my brain is fucked up.”

“You’re gay?” Richie asked, causing his friend to flinch. Confusion brimmed in his eyes, a look of concern growing with every shallow breath Eddie took. “Why didn’t you tell us? Why am I just now finding this out?”

Eddie chuckled, the hollow humor making Richie’s stomach churn. “Do me a favor and don’t tell the others okay? I couldn’t survive if they hated me too.”

“Hate you? Eddie I could never-”

“I’ve got to go.” He muttered, cutting off the trashmouth completely. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Eds, wait.” But he didn’t. Richie watched him ride down the street before disappearing around the corner. Even though he was gone, the trasmouth still stared, still watched for any sign that what he had just happened had been in his head, that his best friend didn’t just admit to abuse at the hands of his overbearing mother. But as he traced the bandaid on his face he knew. He knew that it was all real.

A breeze picked up out of the east, tangling itself in his hair and making its way under his skin. He shivered, pulling his jacket tighter against him. Eventually he made his way home, knowing that by now his father would be passed out on the couch.

Richie could feel the season turning, only this time there had been a kink in the routine. For better or worse, something had changed tonight and nothing was ever going to be the same again.


	19. He's Dead Because of You

The clock counted the minutes, each one more painful than the last. The concept of time seemed pointless, the passing of his life, the eventual continuation of the world around him. He could feel the beating of his heart throughout his entire body, his pulse strong and powerful, what a waste. Being alive was a waste, this entire shit was a waste.

Who fucking cared if Derry was saved, he sure as hell didn’t. His friends in the other room continued talking, planning out the eventual funeral. He had refused to be apart of it all, refused to call his bitch of a wife because how could he? Fuck how could he let all of this happen?

His fingers bit into the glass that was in his hand, almost cracking the crystal. The scotch was less than smooth, burning the entire way down his throat. It wasn’t enough to dull his mind, only his body. He could still see his face, feel the blood on his hands. Eddie Kaspbrak was dead, dead and left under the fucking city that hated him.

“He’s dead because of you.” Richie whispered to himself, tears scorching trials down his cheeks. “You led him down there, you choose to save Bill instead of-” He choked, unable to admit the painful reality. “You killed the only person you ever loved. Fucking dumbass.”

There was a hiccup that came from him, followed by the soft whimpering noise that be made before he began to sob. “Eddie.” He pleaded into the empty room, his body sliding down to the floor where it lay crumbled and broken. “Eddie, I’m so sorry. So fucking sorry.”

“Richie?” A soft voice whispered, their touch only igniting a painful fire in his belly. “Richie it’s Beverly, are you-”

“Don’t touch me!” He spat, pulling away from her. The tears were not uncontrollable, falling onto the carpet below. “Just go away!”

“Hey, just calm down.” She gently spoke, her tone void of any emotion other than sympathy. “Richie, please calm down.”

“Calm down?” He bellowed, looking at her with heated eyes. “Eddie is dead! Dead! Do you not even fucking care?”

“Of Course I care, we all care, but he didn’t die in vain Rich, he died to save-”

She was cut off by the shattering glass, it’s shards bouncing against the wall across from them, littering the carpet with shards. Beverly sneaked in surprise. “He died saving me! He fought that fucking clown because I was too busy saving Bill’s ass instead of protecting him! It’s my fault Bev! My fault!”

“None of this is your fault!” She replied harshly, pulling at his arm. He fought her touch, trying desperately to keep her at arms lengths. “Eddie loved you Richie, no one could have stopped him from doing what he did, but what he did was save us all. He wouldn’t want this, he wouldn’t want you to blame yourself for something that wasn’t your fault!”

The former trashmouth broke, falling into his friends arms and breaking every barrier he had ever held. Eddie was dead. He has buried under Derry, never seeing the light of day again. Maybe it wasn’t all his fault, but there would forever be a part of him that died along with him. A piece of himself lay in the ruins with Eddie, forever staying along side the boy who had meant the word to him. The boy with an inhaler and two fanny packs, the boy who could out trash the trashmouth, the boy who had given him his first kiss, first love, first everything. 

“I loved him.” Richie choked, clutching onto Beverly’s expensive dress, nearly tearing the fabric. “I loved him so much and now he’s gone.”

“I know Richie.” She cooed, stroking his mess of curls.

“I know.”


	20. Why Do You Hate Me?

The tile was cold against the back of his thighs. His nimble fingers traced his bloody knuckles, picking at the bruised skin, making him wince. Over and over again he would pull the flesh further back, the blood running down his hand and onto his shorts. Even if he wanted to stop, even if he had the strength left to force his mind to realize that he was only making the wound worse, there was no way to still his hands. He felt no physical pain, his body still completely numb from the shock of it all.

It was past school hours, so the likelihood of him being found like this was unlikely. He was beyond thankful for this, being seen in such distress would alert his friends, and alerting his friends meant dealing with the issue head on. There wasn’t way he could face Richie now, not after what he had heard. Maybe he had over reacted, maybe it was all in his head and he had acted rash.

Maybe Richie didn’t call him a faggot.

Maybe he had heard him wrong.

But the blood trialing down his arm told him that he had punched Richie, that he had put everything he had into the confrontation. There was no denying it now, Richie’s bruised face still fresh in his mind, Eddie’s harsh and cold words still ringing in his ears. What he had said had almost been as bad, his curses and accusations burning down the mantle that Richie had built throughout his high school career in a matter of seconds. Now they were both losers again.

Where did it all go wrong? At what point did this turn into a battle to force each other out of the closet? Not even two weeks ago they were curled up together in Eddie’s bed, blissfully unaware of the storm brimming on the horizon. All of the sweet kisses, the whispered confessions, the burning touches a thing of the past, only existing now in his memory.

They were both to blame.

The doors to the locker room opened, spilling the dying sunlight onto the lockers. Eddie made no effort to hide himself, whoever it was knew where to find him so what was the point? Heavy footsteps echoed against the walls until stopping just in front of Eddie.

He looked at the black convers and frowned, wishing for someone else to find him. Anyone other than the person who had spit at him in anger. Richie stood there, looking down at him but not uttering a word. Eddie wasn’t sure if his jaw was even functioning after the punch he had taken, and quite frankly he hoped it wasn’t. That would make all of this so much easier.

“Why do you hate me?” Eddie whispered, not able to lift his gaze. The question dripped venom between them, killing all they had left.

“I don’t hate you.” His deep voice replied, dropping his tone until it was almost like he was whimpering. “I could never hate you.”

“Then why did you tell those people that I was a faggot. Why did you sound so disgusted when you said it?” Eddie’s voice rose, his teeth sharpening on Richie’s skin. “I know you aren’t out, and I accepted that but why-“

“I don’t know okay.” Richie replied, nearly crumbling to the ground as he sat across from Eddie. When their gaze finally met it was like static, electrocuting each other. There was a bruise on Richie’s left cheek, the blackness contracting with his porcelain skin, almost like a painting.

Eddie wondered if it hurt.

Eddie hoped it did.

“I don’t get you. I agree to all of your rules and you still treat me like I’m dirt.” Eddie spat, feeling his warm blood fall onto his legs. “If you don’t want to be with me than just say it.”

“It’s not that easy, if people knew that I was-“ He stopped, the word lingering on the tip of his tongue.

“Say it.” Eddie whispered, demanding the exposure. “Say what you are.”

Richie looked at him, his eyes pleading for something that Eddie refused to give. With a sigh he whispered the word, the heaviness in his tone dropping onto the floor with what was left of Eddie’s pride. “Gay.”

“Why do you care what they think?” Eddie asked, generously curious. “What does it matter what other people think of you?”

“It just does.”

“Why.” He demanded, “Explain to me so that I understand why you won’t hold my hand in public but will fuck me in private. Explain why you refuse to even mention me in general conversation but will gladly moan my name in bed.”

“I can’t.” Richie whispered, his tears now trailing down his broken face. “I’m sorry.”

Eddie whipped his eyes, not even realizing that he had begun to cry. “It’s my fault really.” He replied, nodding at his own ignorance. “I thought you would change, I thought that if you loved me enough you would admit that you were like me.” He chuckled, it was hallow and emotionless, “God I’m such an idiot. I should have known that perfect Richie Tozier can’t take any bad press. I did this to myself.”

“Eddie.” Richie whimpered. “I do love you it’s just-“

“Save it.” Eddie nipped, leaning his head back into the lockers behind him. Suddenly he felt exhausted, he was mentally drained from the game he and Richie had been playing. It was like chess, and Richie had finally found his check mate. With a sigh he whispered, “So this is where we are now. Awesome.”

Richie said nothing.


	21. You're A Disappointment

The entire day had been nothing more than a complete and total shit fest. One by one the dominos fell, his life crumbling under him as he tried to keep his head above water. Each event worse than the last, until finally he couldn’t carry the weight anymore. As he stood before Eddie, he was nothing more than a shell of his former self.

Every time his body moved, he winced in pain. His split lip would not stop bleeding, the crimson liquid soaking into the fibers of his shirt. He had been hit in the head a few times by oversized fists, making it throb painfully. It had been the worst thrashing in his life, and yet he couldn’t even defend himself, unable to raise a hand to father. The father who had taught him how to ride a bike, who had given him his first taste of beer. The father who had watched Saturday morning cartoons with him while eating his own sugary breakfast. The father who had once loved him, who had once cared for him.

The father who now beat his own son.

Richie found himself outside of his boyfriend’s house staring up at the lit room. He didn’t know why he had come here, with all of his pint up rage it was sure to be nothing more than a fight. It wasn’t that he wanted to take his home life out on Eddie. No that was farthest thing. But here he stood, needing comfort and seeking it in the worst ways.

Scaling the tree was easy, it was crawling through the window with broken ribs that was hard. Once he was in, Eddie immediately realized what had happened. He was talking a million words a minute, making Richie’s headache worse. Over and over again he asked if he wanted to be taken to the hospital, and over and over again he refused. Hospital brings doctors and doctor’s alert police of domestic abuse. That would only make his father angrier.

“I’m fine Eddie.” He bit, hissing as his boyfriend dabbed the blood from his face. “Stop making a big deal over this.”

“A big deal? Rich look at yourself. He could have killed you.”

“But he didn’t okay? God, you are such a princess.” It had slipped, he watched Eddie’s face fall and he wished it back. His boyfriend kept silent as he continued to clean his wounds. Richie felt the tension rise in his chest, his anger towards his father building until he was unable to contain it any longer. “You always put you’re two cents in when it’s not your place. I’m sorry I can’t have a perfect home life like you, I’m sorry that my shitty situation burdens you.”

It was just coming like vomit now, the hatred over spilling onto the only person who had actually cared for his well-being. Fuck, he hated himself for it but there wasn’t any way he could stop. “You think you’re so fucking perfect, that you always have the answer but you don’t! There isn’t any way to stop my dad from beating my ass and I’m sure as fuck he will keep doing it! All your bitching and lectures do nothing!”

Richie could feel his heart pound against his chest, he couldn’t even see straight as everything bleed onto Eddie’s carpet. His heart was breaking, but his mouth kept going. “You’re a disappointment just like me, our family didn’t want faggots for sons, if we’ve learned anything, it’s that your mother and my father hate what we are! God, why can’t you just open your eyes and fucking see what’s going on, you’re like a child who needs their hand held.”

Eddie stood there and took the abuse, swallowing his emotions and watching the pain behind Richie’s eyes. This wasn’t the boy he had fallen in love with, this was his ghost. When Richie had finally finished his breathing was labored, tears streaming down his face.

And Eddie said nothing. Because what could he say? Quietly he packed up the first aid kit, putting everything in its place neatly. He could feel Richie’s gaze burning his skin, the venom from his words seeping into the cuts that were along Eddie’s heart. They were now both wounded, maybe even fatally.

“Eddie.” Richie breathed, “Eddie, I’m so s-“

“You should go to Bill’s tonight.” Eddie choked, trying to hold back his tears. “I’ll call him so he knows you’re coming.”

“No. I want to stay here, with you. Please.” Richie’s whimper pulled Eddie’s heart but the damage had already been done. They were both already too far gone.

Eddie shook his head, feeling his barrier break, his tears burning his skin as it they a path down his cheek. “No, you need to go to Bill’s. Just go okay? Don’t make this harder than it already is.”

“Eddie.” Richie cooed, his pain now replaced by guilt that seemed to hurt worse than his father’s hand. “I didn’t mean to-“ His hand reached out to grab ahold of his rock in order to ground himself but as he grazed Eddie’s cheek he pulled away, allowing him to fall from grace. “I love you. Please. I’m so sorry.”

“I’ll go call Bill, be gone by the time I come back.” Richie watched him leave, gently closing the door behind him so that Sonja wouldn’t wake. Eventually Richie did what he was told, forcing himself to climb out the window even though his heart stayed on that bed.

What a fucking night.


	22. Are You High?

The music was blaring through the house. It was impossible to walk without either stepping on someone’s foot or elbowing them in the ribs. The stench of sweat and adolescent hormones wafted back into Richie’s face, making him feel sick. He pushed his way through the corwd, looking for his friends. There was a few hands that shamelessly grabbed his ass, making him jump but he forced himself to ignore the touches and keep swimming through the sea of drunken teens.

Eventually he made it outside taking a deep breath of the fresh air. There were students out here two, but unlike outside they were scattered into groups across the lawn. It was dark, and with the poor lighting he stumbled over three couples who were groping each other on the grass and managed to kick one poor girl in the face. Eventually he found three of his friends, leaning against an old oak.

“Hey Tozier!” Mike bellowed, waving at him as he neared. “Where have ya been?”

“Trying to find you losers.” He replied with a smirk. “I still haven’t found Bill or Stan. I think they might hav-“

“Oh my god it’s RIIICCCHHHIIEEEE!” A high pitched voice squealed, “We were not just talking about you I swear.”

Richie raised an eyebrow, looking over his best friend. Normally Eddie would exclude himself from parties, but for whatever reason he had agreed to tag along. Richie had tried his best to keep track of him, feeling as if he was responsible for what happened to him but Beverly insisted that she would take care of him while he went out for a smoke.

An hour ago.

“Are you high?” The trashmouth asked, staring into his friends giant pupils.

“Psshh….” Eddie replied, smiling uncontrollably. “Yes.”

“What the fuck Bev?” He hissed, “You said you would watch him!”

“Hey I didn’t know those brownies were tainted.” She defended, clearly stoned herself. “Your baby boy was hungry!”

“He is not my-you know what it doesn’t matter. How many did he eat?”

“Like three?” Beverly replied, her pitch getting higher with her confession. “I mean, he had as much as me so-“

“He’s a light weight Bev. He has to be out of his mind right now.” Richie felt his stomach twist as Eddie staggered over to him, his hands gripping onto his shirt. He was so close that Richie could see the freckles that were dusted along his nose.

“I’m fine.” Eddie blurted with a giggle, “But I am hungry again.”

Richie couldn’t help but smirk, he had never seen Eddie this high before. “Okay Eds, let’s go home so I can get you something to eat.”

Eddie’s face flustered, his fingers now biting into the flesh of his friends arm. “Oh! Can we stop at taco bell? I would kill for a taco right about now.”

“Sure, whatever you want.” He replied, lighting up his friends face. The sight nearly killed him. “But we gotta hurry, they close at 1 o’clock.”

“Oh my god let’s go!” Eddie cheered, running towards the front of the house, jumping over people with the grace of a three year old. Richie laughed at the sight.

“Oh by the way.” Beverly muttered, pulling the trashmouths attention away from his friend. “He would not shut the fuck up about you.”

“What?”

“Eddie, all he did was blabber on about how amazing you were and sweet and blahblahblah” She stuck out her tongue as if in disgust, causing Mike to chuckle. “If you don’t lock that down soon, I will kill you Rich.”

“Note taken.” He replied softly, turning heel and trotting the way Eddie had went. His ears rang, his emotions pushing against his chest making him feel sick. The small boy was already by his truck when he had caught up.

Eddie anxiously bounced on the balls of his feet, smiling as Richie unlocked his door. “Yay. Taco Bell!” He giggled, hopping into the cab of the tuck. “You are the fucking best Rich, really.”

Richie got into his truck and watched his friend bob on the seat, his soft humming filling the space between them. It was like everything made since then, every touch, every lingering feeling, all of it clicked in his head. It was that moment that he realized, he actually loved this kid.

Eddie noticed his silence, looking over to him confused. “What’s up?”

“Nothing.” He muttered, starting the engine and smiling. “It’s noting Eds but when you sober up we gotta talk about something okay?”

“What is it?”

“Don’t worry about that right now okay? Let’s just get you some food.”

“Okay. To taco bell!” Eddie blurted, pointing towards the absolute wrong direction. Richie laughed as they pulled away from the house, his body feeling lighter than before.

“To taco bell.”


	23. Stop Being So Cute

Tap.

Eddie groaned, rubbing his temples and attempting to focus on his text book. He could feel his skin burning from Richie’s gaze but was desperate to ignore it. It was midterms after all, for fucks sake if he failed this class he might lose his scholarship.

Tap.

God why did Richie have to follow him to the library, why did he have to follow him period. It was hard to forget his feelings towards someone when thy refuses to leave you alone. Eddie this, Eddie that, fuck why did Richie have to be so god damn hot. He had thought his misguided emotions would lessen once they were in college, maybe eve completely fade. More people, more chances for dating, it was simple statistics really. However when Richie showed up on that first day, throwing his stuff into their shard doom and flashing his famous smile, Eddie knew he was fucked.

Tap.

It felt like he couldn’t catch a break. Everywhere he turned, Richie was there. Every single person paled in comparison to him and forcing himself to even look at anyone the same way he did with Richie made him feel sick.

Tap.

“For the love of god, if you don’t stop it, I will shove that pen up your ass.”

Richie smirked, licking his lips, sending a shiver down his spine. “Kinky.” It came out as a husky whisper, his breath washing over Eddie.

“Why are you even here? All of your midterms are over. There has to be something better for you to do than sit there and stare at me” Eddie forced himself to bite, trying to ignore the way his stomach felt or how fucking amazing Richie smelled.

“You would think so.” He sang, leaning back into his chair. “But I’m not going to lie, the sight is pretty good from here.”

Tap.

“Oh my god. Stop it.”

“Stop what, you gotta be more specific Eds.”

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Eddie grabbed the pen, cucking it across the library. Richie frowned, watching it fly through the air. There was a commotion from where it landed, people looking over to the two with annoyed glances that they merely ignored. “Go away Rich. I’m studying.” Eddie nipped, turning back to his book.

“Stop being so cute.” Richie replied, chuckling at his puffed up friend. “You know it gets my motor running.”

“What is wrong with you?” Eddie retorted harshly, shutting his book with a loud bang. “Why are you so fucking crude towards me?”

“Oh my god, will you just ask me out already!” Richie nearly barked, huffing as he crossed his arms along his chest.

Eddie blinked. What. The. Fuck.

“I can only flirt so much Eds. I thought I was being pretty fucking clear about my intentions but god damn, you’re just torturing me at this point!” Someone shushed them form behind but Richie flipped them off, silencing their complaint. “The only reason I haven’t done it is because I know you’re too proud to agree to an actual date so I’ve been waiting for you to make the first move.”

“I-uh-what?”

“Ask me.” Richie said slowly, leaving in close to his friend. Eddie felt himself melt in the moment, becoming nothing more than a puddle in his chair. Again Richie licked his lips and again Eddie was nearly drove to the brink of madness.

“Will you go out with me?” Eddie managed to squeak out.

“Fuck yeah.”


	24. I Want to Take Care of You

Eddie was pretty sure this was what dying felt like. His head was blown up like a balloon, his throat burned and he couldn’t stop sweating even though he was fucking freezing. God, why didn’t he listen to his instincts and turn down Richie’s offer for dancing in the rain? Why did he give in to those big doe eyes and puffy lip? Why did he spend the entire time kissing and gripping on to him like-

Oh yeah. That’s why

There was a groan that built into his chest as he threw himself onto his mattress, muttering profanity to no one in particular. A blanket of tissues flopped back onto him, nearly covering his body. If he could just die, that would be great, save him from suffering.

The door opened, and Eddie watched his boyfriend walk in with a filled tray. “Okay, called Bev and she said to make some soup and to give you nightquil to help you sleep. So, I made you tomato soup and brought you a glass of water because she also mentioned you needed to stay hydrated and you gotta take those big ass pills. So I-“

“Richie?”

“Yeah?”

“Why is this soup cold?” Eddie asked, looking at the bowl with his eyebrow raised. The red liquid looked unappetizing, and frankly chucky as hell.

“Oh fuck, that isn’t right is it? Damn it, well hold on let me go back and-“

“You know you don’t have to do this right?” He asked, sniffling the up snot that tried desperately to escape his nose. “I can take care of myself I know you have better things to do than spend your day at my apartment babying me.”

“I want to take care of you.” Richie whispered softly, “That’s what lovers do.”

Eddie was taken back by the sentiment, looking up to Richie with heart eyes. He couldn’t help but smile, a surprised blush creeping up his already scorching neck. “Don’t call me your lover that sounds gross.”

“But you are!” Richie defended, a sit eating grip growing on his lips. “And sex isn’t gross Eds, it’s completely normal to have urges and-“

“Oh god, please stop you’re making it worse.” Eddie bellowed, falling back into his bed.

Richie chuckled, placing the tray on his nightstand and picking up the icy soup. “I’m going to go heat this up okay. Don’t run away while I’m gone.”

“I don’t think I can run even if I tried.” He replied, Richie smiled, heading for the door. “Richie?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.” It came out extremely nasally, his throat scratching as he forced the words out.

“Anytime Eds.” When Richie came back into the room, Eddie had fallen asleep. He would never admit it but Richie took a moment to appreciate his beautiful face before covering him with his blanket, and whispering sweet things into his ear. The only time Eddie stirred at all was when he planted a gentle kiss atop his head, muttering what he had held in his heart since he was 13.

“I love you Eddie. More than anything.”


	25. Not Sure if you Could Tell, but I’m Not Exactly a People Person

Richie groaned as he walked into the bookstore, the smell of parchment and dust stinging his nostrils. Normally he would just order what he needed for school online, but Bill insisted that a copy of Pride and Prejudice would be a third of the cost at this quaint little store and it wasn’t like Richie was exactly flushed with cash these days. It wasn’t like he could honestly complain, he had received a full ride for his academic performance and all he needed to buy was the essentials but his part time barely paid for food let along another Amazon purchase.

The bell on the door rang out, announcing his arrival. Looking to the front counter he found no one and snorted, “Must be on a coffee break.” He muttered, making his way to the classic section. As he rounded the corner he nearly bulldozed over the boy who had been standing there.

“Fuck.” Richie choked, the boy’s books scattering on the floor. “I didn’t see you there.”

“You don’t say.” The boy retorted, scoffing. Richie felt his heart leap into his throat, the person he had plowed over was drop dead gorgeous. His brown wavy hair was managed perfectly, his brilliant doe eyes looking up at him with fire dancing behind them. Freckles were dusted along his nose and cheeks, connecting like constellations in the sky.

“Yeah, well my bad anyways.” He finally managed to squeak out. The boy shook his head, rolling his eyes as he bent down to gather what he had dropped. “Oh let me he-“

“No, I’ve got them.” He nipped, when he was finished he corrected his posture and glanced at Richie. “Is there something you are specifically looking for or do you just go around and knock over people smaller than you?”

Richie laughed nervously, the boy’s sarcastic tone lingering in the air. “Do you work here or something?” 

“No, I wear nametags for fun.”

“O-Oh.” Finally he noticed the little piece of plastic pinned on to the boys’ shirt, the letters in his name written in fine, pristine handwriting. “Eddie huh? That’s a cool name.”

“Sure it is.” Eddie muttered, shaking his head. “Look what do you need from this section? I’ve got to go back to work.”

“I need a copy of Pride and Prejudice for class if you-.” Before he could even finish, Eddie had already pulled the book off of the shelf, handing a copy over to him.

“Anything else?”

“No.”

“Good, I’ll ring you up.” Richie followed the short boy to the front, trying his hardest not to look at his ass but failing miserably. Eddie slammed the books onto the table, bringing the focus back to him. “It’s not polite to stare.” He nipped.

“Sorry.” Richie replied, suppressing a smirk. “So what do I owe ya?”

“A dollar fifty.” He answered, typing the amount into a computer that looked like it survived the Stone Age. “Please.” Eddie added as if an afterthought. Richie nodded, pulling out exact change from his pocket. As he handed it over his fingers brushed Eddie’s skin, sending a spark up his arm. “Do you want a sack?”

“No.”

“Okay here you go.” Richie watched the book being pushed back to him, the picture on the front staring back to him. “Have a good day.”

“So, do you go to school at the campus or?”

“Look, you seem like a nice guy but you’re wasting your time.” Eddie replied, “Not sure if you could tell, but I’m not exactly a people person. That’s why I work in a used bookstore, where the only customer I’ve had all day stares at my ass the entire time.” 

Richie couldn’t help the blush on his cheeks, “Well in my defense it’s a nice ass.” Then Eddie smiled, breathing life back into him. It wasn’t anything too bright, and there wasn’t even a chuckle but it was enough to send his heart into convulsions. “I bet you get hit on all the time looking like that.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere.” Eddie replied, a small amount of humor behind his tone. “Try the Ms. Maggie, she is more prone to it.”

“Oh is she hot?”

“She’s 80.”

“Hey if this leads nowhere, I’ve got to keep my options open.” Richie could feel the air changing, his knees becoming week at the sound of Eddie’s giggles. “I’ll take what I can get.”

Eddie rolled his eyes, “Well I’m sure old lady is just what you need. I’m sure her standards are real low.”

“You wound me Eddie!” Richie replied dramatically, clutching his heart. “You don’t even know my name, how dare you make such judgments.”

“Anyone who tries to pick up people at a used bookstore is pretty low in my book.”

“Yeah well looking so cute should be illegal.” It was a pathetic line but it seemed that Eddie ate it up, a blush painting his face a deep red.

“I should get back to work.” He muttered, dropping his gaze to the floor.

“Uh yeah right.” Richie muttered, grabbing his book. “Well it was nice to meet you anyways Eddie.”

As he began to walk out the door, he began to feel himself become heavy. “Oh wait.” Eddie called, stopping him before his hand could reach the handle. “You forgot you’re receipt, uh-what was your name?”

“Richie.” He awnsered, taking the small piece of paper.

“Richie.” Eddie repeated, the name dripping smoothly down his skin making him shiver. With a nod he left, cursing each step he took. The opened his truck, tossing the book into the passenger seat and huffing in annoyance. He should have asked him out, should have done something other than shamelessly flirting with him.

As he started his car his eyes looked down at the receipt, his chest swelling. There on the back was a phone number, the heart behind Eddie’s name making him weak. “Well I’ll be damned.” He muttered. “That boy just got hotter.”


	26. Best Friend Sibling AU

Entering the Uris home was equivalent to walking on the moon. Very little have done it and doing so was a life changing event. Richie entered on eggshells, following so close to his friend that he ended up bumping into his backpack when he stopped to pull off his shoes. Stan shot him an annoyed look, rolling his eyes and muttering profanity under his breath. The place was nice, smaller than his own home but much, much cleaner. It was like everything was in its place, even dust not daring to enter without permission. A sweet scent of Lysol mixed with clean laundry wafted back into them. 

“Hey Stanley, who is your friend?” Someone asked from the kitchen, the bar blocking RIchie’s view but he assumed it was Rabbi Uris. 

“Dad, this is Richie.” Stan introduced, vaguely motioning to his friend. “We have a project to do for school.” 

“Well it must be important, you hardly ever bring your friends over.” 

That was no kidding. In the four years of their friendship Richie had never been inside of Stan’s home. It wasn’t that he hadn’t asked-the trashmouth notorious for barging into people's lives-it was that Stan refused to let him in. When they hung out it was at his or Bill’s house, when there was a project it was the library or Richie’s room. Never. Ever. The Uris home. However when their senior project came due and the library was closed for training the same day the Tozier’s were entertaining family there was no other choice. Needless to say, Stan was not happy about it. 

Sighing, Stan replied. “Yeah, I know. We will be upstairs if you need us.” 

“Alright, you kids have fun.” Mr. Uris shouted as they ascended up the stairs. 

Stan’s room was cold, that was the first thing Richie noticed. A shiver ran down his spine, making the hairs on his arm stand on end. There was a blue tint to everything, blue curtains, bed sheets and walls. It was so clean that it made the front room look like a wreck and Richie’s room like a dump truck. Even the pencils on the desk were in parallel lines, the comforter had folded creases for god sakes. Richie was impressed. 

“Nice room.” Richie whistled. 

“Shut up.” Stan snapped, putting his bag onto the ground and opening it. “I don’t want to hear your jokes.” 

“Jokes? Jokes about what?” 

“About how my room is super clean, how it’s like obsessive and weird and creeps you out.” There was a slight pinch to his voice, catching Richie off guard. “This is why I don’t bring you over, you always make fun of me for being put together and this place is where I can me myself so if you tease me for the way I am at school then I knew it would be a thousand times worse if you were in my home. I mean I have OCD for god’s sake what did you think it was gonna be like when you-”

“I don’t care what your room looks like.” Richie cut, his heart tugging at the small tears that had suddenly began to pool in Stan’s tear ducts. “I wouldn’t make fun of you for anything like that, I’m your friend. I can’t believe you thought I was that horrible.” 

“Wel I-” Stan sputtered, turning away and placing books onto his bed. “I’m sorry, just thought since you were the king of jokes that you would-”

“Apology accepted.” Richie smirked, patting his friend on his back so hard that Stan jerked forward. “Now lets knocked out this project eh? Gotta get an A so that I can get into a good school I do.” He finished in a horrible british voice, lighting up the tension and putting some good vibes into the thick air. 

Stan scoffed, “That was the worst voice yet Rich.” 

“You love it.” 

The Uris boy smiled, actually smiled as he sat down onto the ground, motioning Richie to do the same. They fell into a dull sequence, writing and reading about their topic as a comfortable prence spread between them. It was like this sometimes, with Richie making subtle jokes and Stan scorning him for doing so. Just two friends doing their best to graduate, the project being a huge factor in doing so. 

About two hours later there was a loud slam from the room next to them, followed by the blaring lyrics of a familiar rock band. It was so unlike the aesthetic of the household that Richie looked up from his book and stared at wall, trying to see through it to get a peek. “Hey Stan?” He asked, earning a small hum. “Uh what is that?” 

“Probably Metallica or something.” Stan shrugged. “Eddie’s been turned on to them thanks to some girl at his school.” He sounded so annoyed, his nose turning upward in disgust. 

“No, I uh-got that.” He grumbled, motioning to the band shirt he was sporting. “Who in the hell is Eddie?” 

“My brother.” 

“Brother?” 

Stan finally looked up from the paper in his lap, frowning. “Yeah, well-no not biologically. We finished the legal work last year but he’s been living us for about three.” 

Richie nearly choked, “You have never told me you had a brother.” 

“I’m sure I have.” 

“No.” 

“Once, you probably weren’t listening.” 

“I think I would remember Stanley.” Richie growled, shooting him a knowing glare. “How have I never met him? Is he like older or something?”

“No, same age.” 

“Oh my god.” He griped, rubbing his face in frustration. “Does go to Derry high too? Have you been hiding him in your locker or something?” 

“No, he goes to the private school. Got a full ride for running track.” 

Richie shot up, “I’ve got to meet him.” 

“No!” Stan shouted, grabbing his wrist to still him. “Okay you’re right, I’ve never told you but it’s because you have a reputation for being a horn dog and Eddie’s been through a lot of shit.” 

“Now I’ve got to meet him if you think I’d bang him.” Richie said, a need for satisfaction-that would only come from meeting the secret brother he didn’t know Stan had-bubbling in his stomach. “He must be hot as fuck.” 

“Richie, you can’t meet him. Just let it go.” Stan warned, standing to his full height. Although he was inches shorter, he towered over the trashmouth. “I’m not going to tell you again.” 

“Stan, Stanley, Stannybear.” Richie cooed, “I’m your best friend-”

“No you’re not, Bill is.”

“-And as your best friend I should reserve the right of meeting your brother!” It was kind of a long shot but he would do just about anything to see this super attractive track star. “I won’t say anything embarrassing if that’s what you're worried about.” 

Stan snorted, “You, Richie Tozier, are a walking talking embarrassment.” 

“You wound me Stan!” He faked gasped, clutching his chest. “Your words, they are like daggers in my heart!” 

“Richie!” 

“Stanley!” 

Their arguing voices were silenced by the sound of a clearing throat in the doorway. Both boys turned, finally noticing the person that was leaning against the frame. Richie gapped, taking him in all at once as his brain stilled for the first time in his life. Eddie was wearing sweats that hung low on his hips, his white t-shirt a too little snug against his defined abdomen creating a small line of flesh that was visible just below his navel. His face was soft, freckles dusted along his nose and cheeks, making Richie want to reach out and connect them like stars. With brown hair and doe eyes, it made sense that Stan wanted to keep him hidden from Derry High’s most eligible bachelor. Shit, Richie wanted to jump his bones right then and there. 

“Your dad wants to know if your friend is going to stay for dinner.” Eddie said, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. 

“No.” Stan said.

“Yes!” Richie shouted over him. 

Eddie raised his eyebrow, pursing his lips and staring at the both of them in what could only assume was amusement. “Yeah, I’m just gonna tell him maybe.” 

“No, Eddie don’t-” But Stan was waved off and ignored as his brother turned heel and left, leaving the spot where Richie was staring. Instinctively the trashmouth went to follow like a love struck puppy, following Eddie’s scent of irish spring and lavender. He was stopped when a hand grasped the back of his shirt, keeping him from going too far. “Oh hell no, I don’t think so.” 

“Stan-” 

“Off limits.” He hissed, tugging him backwards. “Understand.” 

“What? That’s not fair, he’s like an angel. A sexy, well defined angel!” 

“You’re my best friend Richie.” Stan said, taking his friend by surprise. “And as my best friend, Eddie is off limits. You aren’t allowed to pursue him, to get sweet on him or any of that stuff you pull on the girls at school. You have to promise me Richie.” 

“But-”

“Promise.” 

Richie sighed, relaxing a little. “Promise.” 

“Good.” Stan nodded, sitting back down onto the floor. “Now let’s get this done before it gets to late.” 

The trashmouth sat back down, unable to pry his eyes from the doorway as his friend began to pull the books back out. Stan was talking but Richie couldn’t hear a single word because right then Eddie walked past the open space, pausing for a second to smile and wink right at him. Richie’s heart fluttered, his eyes widening and mouth dropping open. This made Stan’s brother chuckle before he kept on his path and disappeared down the hall. 

“Fuck.” Richie groaned.


	27. Multi Prompt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Please.”
> 
> “Are you drunk?”
> 
> “Are you jealous?”
> 
> "Make me.”

The fire was well fed, reaching upward towards the sky with outstretched arms. People were scattered throughout the field, huddled in small groups or sprawled out on cars with bodies pressed tightly. The so called event was well advertised, almost the entire body showing up and partaking in the festivities. It had been Beverly’s idea to go, having found a flier pinned on her dorm door, and the others just followed right along. Richie had been forced-well more like dragged-along with his friends, the outing was supposedly going to “cure” his broken heart but all it did was make the hole in his chest ache. Two weeks ago the love of his life had ripped his soul from his body and crushed it under her four inch heels.

So here he was leaning against his truck, loathing in his self pity. Every now and then one of his friends would stop by and console him but would turn tail the moment they realized that they were getting nowhere. Currently he was with Stan, both of them nursing their beer due to having volunteered as the designated drivers. His friend was talking about something unimportant, the words going in one of the trashmouths ears and out the other. Usually, Richie would be a better friend but due to his current break up he was finding it hard to keep up the charade when all he wanted to do was go home and curl up into a tight ball.

“Are you even listening to me?”

Richie blinked, suddenly aware of Stan’s judging stare. “What?” He sputtered, crashing back down into earth with a autiable bang. “I-I’m sorry, what were you saying?”

Stan snorted, “Seriously Rich, you need to get out of this slump. It looks real bad on you.” It was a little harsh, coming from one of his closest friend but it was warranted and sharp. “You’re driving everyone crazy, I know you like the girl but-”

“Liked?” Richie laughed, the feeling painful in his bones. “I loved her! She was the one okay? The one I was supposed to be with forever! You guys just don’t understand, I mean when was the last time you-”

“Choose your next words carefully.” Stan warned, pushing his body off of the truck and turning his body towards him in one swift motion. “I know you are hurt but we are trying your best to help you. For fucks sake Richie we have all been listening to you rant on about Abby but guess what? She was a fucking bitch!”

“Take that back!” Richie hissed, a burning anger bubbling just under his skin. “Take that back right now!”

Stan looked as if he had been slapped, stepping back and breathing fire. “No. She cheated on you with your roommate! In your bed! Why are you still hung up on her? God, Eddie’s been throwing himself at you for years and yet you still chase after these bimbos with an IQ of a rock. For fucks sake you-”

“Eddie’s been what?” Richie cut, shaking the buzz from between his ears. “What did you just say?”

“Uh-” Stan started, swaying slightly in confusion. “What?”

“You just said that Eddie-” But Richie didn’t finish because at that moment Stan bolted, dropping his beer and running swiftly walking through the cars towards the fire where the others stood. Whatever he said then made Beverly punch him in the arm and Mike throw his hands up in the air. It would’ve be considered amusing if not for the sinking feeling it left in the trashmouths gut. Lifting himself from the truck he turned to follow, but stopped the moment a slurred voice called out to him.

“Hey R-Richie, did-did you see that? Stan ran a-away.” Richie turned to watch Eddie giggle into his hand, a half empty beer still in between his fingers. The small boy looked like shit, his usually put together look was torn apart, his clothes askew and his hair a curly mess. When he looked up to Richie his eyes were dulled and distant, a glimmer of pain hidden behind the deep pools of chocolate. “W-what’d you do? Insult his b-birds? You kn-know he’s sensitive about th-them.”

“Are you drunk?”

“Pfft.” Eddie took one final long drink from his bottle, tossing it to the ground beside his feet. “Na, little Eddie Spaghetti can’t party, didn’t you hear?”

The words burned Richie’s ears, it had been an echo of what he had said earlier out of anger. Everyone had been pressuring him to go to the bonfire and Eddie had piped in with his opinion so of course-being the amazing friend he had been lately-Richie bit his head off. “Listen Eds, I didn’t mean to say that. It’s just with the whole Abby thing I’ve been kinda-”

“Please.” Eddie whined, covering his ears. “St-stop talking about th-that whore. I hated h-her so fuh-cking much.” It had been the first time he had spoken bad about Richie’s ex, the words both harsh and loud. “I kn-knew she was no good. I t-told Bill that, jus-just ask him. I said-I said, this girl is going to bruh-break Richie’s heart a-and he s-said that it wa-was none of my buis-business and th-that you had to fuh-fuck up on your own.” He laughed, the dunken sway he had intensifying making him slam into the side of Richie’s passenger side door.

“Fuck, Eddie stop-”

“Make me.” He challenged with determined eyes. “Oh w-wait you can’t! Bec-cause you are too b-busy screwing a-around with everyone e-else to n-notice-” There was no fishing, only giving a heavy sigh and a burp instead. “Whatever, do-doesn’t matter.”

“Eddie?” Richie whispered, “Are you-” Eddie’s head rolled against his shoulders, breaking their eye contact. “Hey, look at me Eds.” The trashmouth reached out, grabbing hold of his friends face rather firmly, one hand on each side so not to hurt him. The action seemingly made Eddie melt, his body leaning against the warm touch. It took all Richie had not to pull away in surprise. “Are you jealous?”

Eddie’s eyes snapped open, his body jerking away as a sense of sobriety washed over him all at once. “N-no, I’m n-not-” He shook his head, stepping away from where Richie stood. “Why would y-you even ask-” There was a snort, a forced chuckle, and a crackle in his voice. “So st-stupid.”

“Is it?” Richie asked, feeling suddenly bare and vulnerable. “I mean ever since I started dating Abby you’ve been distant and then we broke up and-then you were there again, like nothing had happened. I can’t believe I didn’t see it before you-you lov-”

“Shut up!” Eddie yelled, the sudden change in his demeanor making Richie jump. “Sh-shut up okay? Y-you don’t kn-know shit.”

“What don’t I know?” Richie couldn’t stop himself, couldn’t let it go until his friend admitted what they both now knew. “Tell me Eddie, tell me the truth.”

“The tr-truth?” Eddie repeated, the slur dripping from his tongue. “You wa-wanna know th-the truth? The real t-truth?” Tears welled in his eyes, his lip quivering and arms folding inward on themselves. “I’ve b-been standing by fuh-for fifteen years, w-waiting for you to n-notice me and you h-haven't! I only exist when it’s co-convenient for you! ‘Oh Eds, I l-love Abby, nuh-no Mark, no Ch-Christine”” The names were spat in disgust, right at Richie’s surprised face. “D-did you ever e-even realize? R-realize that I was the o-only one who was th-there to pick you b-back up when those lovers b-broke your heart! N-no matter how bad it hu-hurt I was there!”

“Eds I-”

“Hey, is everything okay over here?” It was Bill, because of-fucking-course it would be. Richie looked around and noticed that the party had stopped, everyone’s eyes turned towards the two of them, obviously noticing Eddie’s screaming voice. The attention burned his skin, but not as much as Eddie’s scorching glare. “What’s going on.” Bill’s hand snaked around Eddie’s shoulders, the protective gesture speaking volume. Eddie leaned into the touch, dropping the eye contact and biting his lip in shame. “Eddie?”

“I wanna go h-home.” Eddie muttered under his breath, staggering backwards in Bill’s arms. “Please, I ju-just wanna-just wanna-”

“Alright.” Bill breathed, pulling his friend close as if to shield him from the trashmouth. “I’ll take you home.”

“No, Eddie don’t go.” Richie whined, reaching out for his friend only to have it fall back to his side when they stepped out of range. “I’ll take you home, please I just want to talk.”

Eddie glanced up once more, the pain in his eyes agonizingly recognizable. “I’m duh-done talking.” And with that he left with Bill, swimming though the sea of people and fading away from Richie’s line of sight. The party staggered onward, leaving Richie in the dust.

Eventually Stan made it back over to him, hands in his pockets and face turned downward. “Yeah, so how’d it go?”

Richie groaned.

\-----

He awoke with a pounding in his head and vomit in his throat. Crawling up the porcelain throne beside him his stomach emptied safely in the bowl. The burn was almost unbearable, the ache in his chest feeling weighed and foreign. Once it had all passed, Eddie slumped back down onto the tile floor with a whimper, the throbbing between his temples intensifying. Curling up into a tight ball he felt like crying, this hangover being the worst he had ever experienced. All in all, he wasn’t surprised, he was aware how much he drank, what he was drinking for, so the consequences that followed were on his shoulders alone.

“I brought you some water and crackers.” A kind voice announced from the doorway, sounding so much louder in Eddies head. “You were so wasted last night, I figured I’d find you in here.”

Eddie looked up to his savior in pink pajamas, her friendly grin and warm eyes washing over him like a calming bath. A smile curled at the corner of his lips, “Audra, my savior, can you please tell me how I ended up ruining your bath mat.”

The brown haired beauty beamed, crossing over and placing the water in his hand and the crackers on the edge of the bathtub. “Well Bill brought you in around one, you were so far gone that he was practically carrying you.” Her forehead creased, concern covering every inch of her face. Eddie could feel the question that was vibrating from every nerve in the woman standing before him, the words like dust between them. Finally she let out a ragged breath, pulling a hand towel from the rack and running it under the faucet. “Do you want to talk about it?” The question was thick, so thick that Eddie couldn’t swallow the emotion in his dry throat.

He accepted the towel, wiping at his face so harshly that it left his cheeks red and raw. “I’d rather not.” It came out in a mutter, laced with anger and annoyance. “Besides, I should get back to my dorm. Mike is gonna wonder what happened to-”

There was a pounding at the front door, the small apartment leaving nothing to protect the two of them from the noise. Audra turned and opened the door a little further, revealing a very groggy Bill strolling across the livingroom to answer. As soon as he did his face dropped, his arms crossing across his chest protectively. “What do you want?”

Richie pushed passed his friend, entering the apartment without permission, his appearance no better than expected after a night of drinking. The sight made Eddie cower further into the protection that the bathroom provided, his stomach twisting. Audra looked back at him with sympathetic eyes, closing the door to keep the sight of them hidden.

“Richie you can’t just walk into my apartment and-”

“Where is he?”

“Excuse me? Who?”

“Don’t ‘who’ me, Eddie! I’ve been looking for him all night.”

“He’s not here.” Bill’s voice shot right back, seeping through the cracks of the door. “And even if he was, he doesn’t want to talk to you okay? Just go home Richie.”

“EDDIE!” Richie hollered, his voice vibrating the walls around them, “EDDIE! WE NEED TO TALK, COME ON! I’M SORRY FOR-”

“Stop fucking yelling!” Bill hissed, “You’re going to wake up the entire building!”

Audra glanced over to Eddie, frowning as the two boys continued to bicker about his whereabouts. It was like the air had been sucked from Eddie’s lungs, his heart clenching and his body shaking. There were bits and pieces that came to him about the previous night, the beers that were pushed into his hands, the spin in his head, words that scorched his lungs and blackened his mouth, anger that bubbled under his skin making it crawl over his tensed muscles but even with all that, there was nothing to indicate why Richie would show up at this godforsaken hour looking for little old him. He should be waking up in some girls bed, still tipsy from the party as he dragged ass back to his dorm.

“Get out of my home, Eddie isn’t here.”

“You’ve always been a terrible liar Denbrough.” Richie sneered, “He isn’t a child, he doesn’t need your protection so back off.”

“Why don’t you just go back and slum it with some slut, save us the trouble of you pretending to care.” The words were dripping with venom and even from the bathroom Eddie could feel the coldness in his satre. Suddenly there was a loud incomprensible shout one of the boys, a loud thud and Audra’s high pitched voice screaming for them to stop. Instinctively Eddie followed her as she ran from the room, storming into the living room and grabbing of Richie’s waist as to pull him from Bill forcefully.

“I care more than you will ever know!” Richie yelled, adjusting the crooked glasses on his nose and thrashing against Eddie’s touch. “You stupid piece of-oh hey Eds. There you are.” His distimner changed instantly, going from one hundred to nothing in milliseconds. “I’ve been looking for you, you weren’t in your dorm or at Stan’s or Beverly’s so I knew you had to be here.”

Eddie let go of his friend, backing away in surprise. “What is wrong with you? Why are you fighting with Bill and what in the hell is so goddamn important that you have to make my hangover ten times worse?” His head was swelling to the point of explosion, only being saved by his thick skull. Richie suddenly looked nervous, bouncing on the balls of his feet and chewing on his bottom lip. The trashmouth looked over to Bill who was being fussed over by his girlfriend and replied,

“How about some breakfast? My treat.”

—-

“Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“I honestly can’t believe I got that drunk, I hardly ever drink.” His food had long gone cold, rejected by his stomach and forgotten by his brain as Richie relayed the missing pieces of last night. He had been vauge, much to vuage for Eddie’s liking but it surely helped the black hole that was his memory. “That explains the headache and digestive issues.”

RIchie smirked his famous smirk, his bucked teeth exposed by his upper lip as his eyes sparked with amusement. Eddie couldn’t help the flutter in his chest, the longing in his bones. After all this time it still only took one look to make him a puddle on the floor. “Look, I just wanted to say that I was sorry.” The trashmouth said, dropping his gaze down to his cup of room temperature coffee. “It’s important that you know that, I’m so sorry Eds.”

“Sorry about what?” Eddie asked, confused by the sentiment.

“I-uh well-this is kinda awkward.” Richie laughed, the noise hollow and empty. The nervous tick he had kicked in, making him rub the back of his neck. He was quiet for a moment, the once joking voice failing him in his time of need. Clearing his throat Richie nodded, “I know you didn’t like Abby, fuck I’m not sure anyone of you actually did.”

“I liked her.” Eddie lied, “I never-”

“Yeah you did.” Richie corrected, cutting him short. “You told me how you really felt last night, called her a whore and everything.” Noticing Eddie’s horrified look he added, “But you are right, she wasn’t any good no matter what I thought.”

“I tried to like her its just….I don’t know Rich….she wasn’t right for you. You deserved so much better, you always deserve so much better.” Richie met his gaze then, sending shivers down his spine. Rearing back, Eddie bit down on his cheek filling his mouth with copper. “I mean as friends that what we want right? We want each other to be happy.”

“Are you happy?” Richie asked, leaning against the countertop as if eager for each breath Eddie took. “Are you really happy Eddie? Watching me date all those people, fucking around and ignore you?”

It was like he had been hit by a train, every nerve standing on end, every fiber in his body vibrating with anxiety. Eddie watched Richie’s magnified eyes with astonishment, his lungs deflating and heart stalling. “What did I say to you last night?” He whispered, mostly to himself.

“Nothing that I shouldn’t have already known.” Richie answered, his sad tone making Eddie want to cry. “How didn’t I see it? We’ve been best friends since we were thirteen, how did I miss the truth staring back to me this entire time?”

Eddie sniffled, his fear of losing his closest friend coming to life right before him. There was a sense of clarity in it all, a tiny bit of relief in knowing that the weight was lifted from his shoulders. It may be an ending, but with the truth free Eddie was able to begin again. “Well in your defense you are blind.” It was intended to be a joke, it really was but it had come out broken and scared the moment it had left his lips. The waterfall started then, tears trailing down the rise and fall of his cheeks and crashing down onto the clothes he had worn the night before. God, he wished he had changed before going out, he reeked of beer and vomit.

“Hey, no don’t cry.” Richie cooed, moving from his side of the booth and crowding Eddie’s space. “Please don’t cry.”

But he did.

He couldn’t help it, couldn’t hold it in as he pathetically called attention to himself from the corner of the restaurant. People were staring, trying to get a glimpse of what sounded like a twelve year old girl bawling her eyes out. Richie’s arms snaked around his shoulders, pulling him agonizingly close. Taking in a deep breath he bathed himself in the sweet scent of honey and lavender, warmed himself with the touch and became drunk from the emotion that overcame him. Fucking christ he was a mess.

“Eds, why are you crying? What did I do wrong?” Richie pleaded, sounding just as broken as Eddie felt. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you I just-I just-”

“You’re gonna stop….being my f-friend.” Eddie forced through the sobs, trembling in Richie’s arms. “I didn’t want to lose you….I didn’t-didn’t want-”

“You aren’t going to lose me.” The trashmouth reassured, “There isn’t a thing you could do that would make me stop being your friend okay? Nothing, not a goddamn thing.”

“But-but-”

“Sir, is everything alright?” The waitress asked, obviously concerned over the two boys crying in the back corner. She pulled the attention away from Eddie long enough to gain a sense of composure, squirming himself from Richie’s arms and breathing a sigh of relief.

“Yeah, just an emotional conversation. We’re sorry.” Richie answered, looking a little hurt from their sudden lack of contact. Shoving his hand into his front pocket he pulled out a wadded up twenty and tossed it onto the table. “Don’t worry we are about to leave.” This sufficed because with one more glance over to Eddie the young woman left then to their own demise, shaking her head in either disgust or confusion. The trashmouth watched her for a few moments before turning back to his friend.

Eddie wanted to vomit again. “I think I should just go.”

“Yeah, let’s go back to my dorm. My roommate has morning classes so we should have some privacy.” Richie replied, soothing out of the booth but not before downing the rest of his coffee in one long gulp. “Come on, I’ll drive.”

“No, I think I should just go by myself.” Eddie corrected, feeling the need to clarify. “I stink and feel like shit and literally just broke down in the middle of Denny’s.”

“This is an IHOP.”

“Whatever.” He sighed, rolling eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I don’t want to have this conversation, not with you Rich. Can’t we just pretend that none of this ever happened? Can’t we just go back to how things were before I got plastered and said all that stupid shit…whatever it all was?” Richie blinked, unmoving. “I beg you, just forget it all.”

“No.” Richie said sternly, shaking his head.

“Richie-”

“I can’t pretend, or forget or fuck even imagine that I never saw you so goddamn upset. You think you are going to lose me Eds but you’re wrong.” Eddie puffed his chest in annoyance, opening his mouth to respond but was stopped, “Because I want this. I want all of this, with you. It’s like I’m finally awake after sleeping for ten years, and I can finally see how it’s supposed to be. I won’t force you because I would never force anything on you Eddie, nothing, but I think we should go back to my dorm and discuss what happened last night. I know you must think the worst of me right now but whatever is between us can’t be ignored anymore.”

There were no words.

Because with Richie Tozier there was no need for any.

With a nod he followed his best friend out of the restaurant and never looked back.


	28. Your Hands are Just as Dirty

“You don’t know shit Kaspbrak! I swear to fucking god, you don’t know anything!”

Eddie stood in front of him, his body ridged and stern. Each time Richie opened his mouth, more hate and vulgarity spilled. It was like vomit and he couldn’t seem to find the strength to stop. It had been so simple, the thing that Eddie had asked of him daily but today something inside of

Richie broke, setting him off. They could have easily ended it, blaming it on the tension at their jobs, muttering that today was just rough and that tomorrow would be better but it seemed that someone was throwing fuel onto their burning flame, forcing Richie to continue his rampage.

“Is that what you think Richie? That I don’t know anything about what’s going on with you?” The smaller man replied, his voice sharp and particular but not loud. Never loud. “That I don’t see what’s wrong?”

“I know that! Don’t play doctor on me Eddie that shit doesn’t work!” He spewed as a response, his bellowing voice causing his lover to cower in fear. This sight alone should have stopped him, should have washed away his anger and brought him back to reality but the fire had already consumed him. “Save that for you patients, not your boyfriend!”

“You know what?” Eddie whispered coldly, grabbing his keys from their coffee table. “I’m done.”

“What in the hell does that mean?” He hissed, watching his boyfriend as he pulled on his coat. “What you’re just going to leave? That’s your big solution?”

“I can’t talk to you when you’re like this.” He replied, his tone nipping at Richie’s skin. “I’m going to Bill’s.”

Richie’s chest clenched, “Fine leave then. Just walk away from this, that’ll fix everything!”

Eddie shook his head, biting at his lip. With a heavy sigh he opened the door, pausing for a split second to mutter. “I love you.”

“Whatever.” He replied, the word cutting though the tension and piercing Eddie’s skin. He willed himself to take it back, to admit that he loved him too but he stood there, unmoving as he was forced to watch him leave, stepping though the threshold and slamming the door in his wake. Eddie was gone, but the whole in his heart was still there.

His call went to voicemail for the third time, Eddie’s polite voice blaring the recording back to him again. Richie grumbled, tossing his phone onto the table in front of him. There were tears, silent confessions that would never be heard except by the whispering walls. It was a mess, and he knew it had been all his fault. If he would have just admitted he was wrong, that he had over reacted this all could have been avoided, he could have his love back but he didn’t and now Eddie was nowhere to be found.

The cellphone vibrated and without looking he answered, his heart pounding against his chest. “Eddie?” He pleaded, begging for the other person to be him.

“R-Richie.” A female voice replied, the broken name sending his heart to the floor. “Richie, I-I don’t know how to tell you this b-but something’s happened.”

“What?” He asked, his blood running cold in his veins. “What’s going on Beverly? Why are you crying?”

She sniffled, another sob echoing through the receiver. “It’s Eddie. He’s been in an accident.”

\-----

Everything was white. White walls, white sheets, white coats. White, white, white. Until then Richie hadn’t realized that it was his least favorite color, the bleached void sucking in all the life from the room, leaving Richie where he was, where he was always afraid to end up.

Alone and scared.

The police had said that it had been a drunk driver, that even if Eddie had seen him there would not have been away to avoid the barreling truck. His small Vibe didn’t stand a chance, and in the end it crumbled just like the rest of them. Although the paramedic had tried their best, it was still unsure if he would make it through surgery. The likelihood growing less and less with each drop in his heart rate.

So he sat in the hospital church, unable to take his friends pathetic rationality any longer and finding solitude in the empty chapel. His fingers bit into the wood in front of him, his knees digging into the carpeted floor. Richie Tozier was never the religious type, hell he wasn’t sure if he had ever prayed in his life but here he found that the whispers of the Lord soothed his eager soul. His gaze lifted to the crucified savior, his body hanging proudly from the fall wall. It was as if was judging him, speaking words the only Richie could hear. The pain in his chest grew as more tears spilled from his eyes.

“Don’t look at me like that.” He forced, still kneeling in the pew. “I know okay, I know this is my fault. I made him leave, I didn’t say I love you back. I didn’t mean it, I-I- “The words died, his own shame killing them on his tongue. His head shook, practically slamming itself against the lumber. “But your hands are just as dirty. You sent that truck, you sent him here.”

The man didn’t respond, but the doctor beside him did. “Are you the family of Edward Kaspbrak?”

Richie jumped to his feet, “Yeah. I am.”

The doctor nodded, dropping his gaze. “Follow me.” Richie obeyed, leaving the chapel, the lingering stare burning his neck. He didn’t know what to expect and was more frightened than he had ever been in his life. Once the news was presented to him, he dropped to his knees one last time.


	29. Did You Do This To Yourself?

Ever since Eddie admitted his sexuality, he had become different. Not so different that their friends recognized what was happening because it was the refined things, the things that almost everyone overlooked. It was the way his laugh changed, no longer light and free but sharp and weighted, as if forced. It was the way he stopped wearing shorts, even though he had worn them every winter for the past three years. It was the way he would frown when he thought no one was looking, his face growing dark and distant.

The subtlety masked it from the others but not from Richie.

He picked up on every bit of his friend’s odd behavior, taking notice on when and how he would change. The Eddie he knew was growing distant, aloof and if felt like something was slipping, something that Richie couldn’t grasp even if he tried. So he watched, and waited, not knowing when the right time to bring it up was but knowing that something crucial was around the corner.

“I think I’m going to head out.”

“Awe, are you sure Eddie? The movie just started.”

The small boy smiled his fake smile, shaking his head. He pulled on his coat, tugging at the sleeves and adjusting it along his back. “I’ve got a shit ton of homework, sorry. Next time though.”

There it was again, the change. Eddie’s voice wavered, just for a split second as if he had rehearsed his response a million times. Richie watched him say his goodbyes, lingering with his friends a little too long but not long enough to draw extra attention. He moved to the trashmouth, smirking.

“So I’ll see you tomorrow Rich. Good night.”

“Let me walk you home.” Richie blurted, jumping up from his chair. “Your house is on my way.”

Eddie flinched, but recovered quick enough. “No, stay. I’ve got my bike and I know how much you love the Goonies. Stay, have fun.”

Richie wanted to argue but was cut off by Eddie’s hands wrapping around his waist. There was force behind the hug, it spoke urgency to Richie, whispering something dark into his ear. As Eddie pulled away he nodded, his eyes glazed over as if seeing things that had yet to come. “Good bye Richie.” He whispered before heading out the door.

The trashmouth stood there, unmoving. He watched the door close, the night swallowing the small loser completely. There was a pull in him, a violent and urgent need that had begun in his belly and crawled up to his chest. That hug. That smile. Everything was wrong.

“You okay Richie?” A voice asked from across the room, but the question fell on deaf ears. Someone pulled on his shirt, a nonverbal command to sit but he pulled away from the touch.

“Eddie.” He whispered, still staring at the wooden barrier.

“Yeah, he just left.” The same voice replied, confused.

“He isn’t right.”

“What?”

Richie didn’t bother to answer, instead he bolted from his friends and out the door already aware that Eddie would have made it home by now. His feet carried him across the wet grass, the cold January breeze causing his face to become numb and tingly. Deep down he knew he wasn’t fast enough, he knew that the small boy was in trouble but he only kept pushing, desperate to move quicker.

When he arrived he didn’t bother knocking, instead going to the tree like he had done not so long ago. Eddie’s window was unlocked and Richie took it upon himself to make his way inside. Once his feet were on the ground he yelled, the name tasted sour in his mouth. There was no response. He ran to the bathroom, pounding against the door and screaming his name. This time a response did come, except it was broken and weak. He jiggled the handle, but it was locked. “Open the door Eddie.” He growled, his desperation scratching his throat. “Open this fucking door right now!”

“R-Richie?”

His body slammed itself against the door, violently shaking it at the hinges. The action was repeated, not once, not twice but three times before the wood broke open. Richie stumbled in, breathing a sigh of relief. Once his eyes adjusted to the florescent light, it took everything in his power not to vomit on the floor.

Blood.

It was everywhere. Eddie sat against his tub, wrists exposed. He was completely drenched in crimson, the liquid spilling from the

slashes against his own skin. “Oh my god.” Richie choked, forcing himself to kneel beside his friend. “Did you do this to yourself?”

Eddie’s head lulled against his shoulders, not responding to the obvious question. The trashmouth grumbled something under his breath before pulling down the bath towel from rack. Gently he placed it against the razor marks on his friend’s wrist. As soon as the fabric was placed, it began to soak through. “Fuck. Fuck Fuck!” Richie hissed, applying pressure to the wound.

“No.” Eddie muttered, pulling his hands away. “Stop it.”

“Stay fucking still, I can’t keep the pressure.”

“Just let me die.” The small boy pleaded, tears now trailing his face. “Please, I’m tired of living.” Richie felt his heart rip from his chest, his own tears burned his eyes but he ignored their presence. “I’m sick, please I don’t want to be gay anymore. I don’t want to be broken. Let me fix myself.”

There was nothing that could be said to make any of his words better, nothing in the world that could describe the pain that the two lone boys shared in that instant. It was defining, a shattered moment between two sides of the same coin. Richie shook his head, choking out his only reply. “I’m not going to let you die.” Eddie continued to cry, his pleases becoming weaker and weaker with each passing second. The sirens finally came, but still Richie held his wrists, pushing aside the knowledge of how warm the blood was against his skin and how cold his friend had turned.

In the end all that mattered was Eddie, and in the end Richie hadn’t been enough.


	30. The Government Didn't Give Me a Choice

The small home was neat, pristine. Everything was in its place and everything had a place to be in. There was a lingering essence that screamed outsider but he knew that was just because he was present. Deep down he never expected to be here, looking over his old lovers wedding pictures. His heart burned, staring at the fake smile that was plastered on the grooms face as he hugged the overweight woman. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that the marriage was forced and that love had never been a factor.

At least not the love they had shared.

“Here.” Eddie muttered, handing him a warm drink. “All I had was tea, I wasn’t exactly expecting company.”

“It’s alright.” Richie whispered, knowing that he couldn’t stomach the beverage but accepting it none the less. “Thanks.”

The host nodded, awkwardly whipping his palms on his jeans. “So uh, what brings you back in town? I haven’t seen you in what? Ten years?”

“Uh well my parent’s estate is being settled so the lawyers told me I needed to be present to sign over my rights to the house. I thought that we could catch up, you know reminisce.” It was half the truth, he really did come back to Derry to finalize on his father’s shitty ass home, but once he had arrived things began coming back. Memories of a past life, of a past love that had burned so brightly that it was hard to believe it had been swallowed by the darkness. He knew he had to meet the boy from his previous life but wasn’t expecting what he found.

“Ah,” Eddie replied, smirking. “Well you found me I guess.

Not that I’m hard to be found now days.” He moved to the couch, taking a seat and leaving his gaze on his guest. “The others left some time after you. It’s just me and Mike now, keeping track of Derry and of IT. Not sure if you remember or not but-“

“I do.” Richie mumbled, “Now.”

Eddie nodded, scrunching his face in a way that made him seem ten years younger. “Don’t worry, it’ll fade once you leave. You’ll forget again.”

Richie didn’t know how to respond, the man before him seemed wiser than his age let on but there was something about him that was off. He was hiding behind his fake life, shielding himself from the truth that they had once shared all those summers ago. “So I’m surprised to see you married.” He found himself blurting as he took a seat across from his host.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t mean to offend.” Richie recoiled from his harsh tone. “It’s just, if memory serves, you weren’t really batting for that particular team when I left. Hell, we were pretty fond of knocking boots. You and I used to-“

“Beep beep Richie.” Eddie said coldly. The phrase seemed to wash over them like a familiar rain, bringing back flashes of children, of pathetic accents and idiotic penis jokes. It brought back their childhood, among other things. “Look,” he breathed heavily, “that was a long time ago. Things change.”

“Not you Eds.” Richie corrected, “Not this.”

“The government didn’t give me a choice”

Richie scoffed, placing his tea onto the coffee table. “The government or you?” The question came out harsh, biting at the already tense air. “Did you even move on after I left, did you even try.”

“What do you want me to say here?” Eddie replied firmly, practically seeping hatred. “You just up and left, didn’t even bother to say goodbye. I loved you Tozier, I loved you so much that when you ditched Derry, you took a piece of me with you. I knew you would forget me, just like the others but this time it hurt worse because it was you. So when Myra showed an interest in me, I took it. Can you fucking blame me?”

There wasn’t a response that would suffice, at least not one that Richie could think of. He watched the man across from him dissolve, leaving a sad little boy in its place. He dropped his gaze, the question slipping from his grasp. “You deserve to be happy Eddie.”

“I deserved a lot of things.” It was an honest reply, but a sharp one too. “Myra loves me and that’s what matters.”

“Do you even love her back?” Richie asked, earning a piercing eye from his host. “Love is important in a marriage and-“

“This coming from Richie ‘Records’ Tozier?” Eddie sneered, shaking his head. “How many woman had you promised to marry? What three? Did you love any of them?”

It was a low blow and Richie couldn’t help but flinch. “You’re right.” He admitted, his chest heavy with unspoken emotions. “I guess I always loved someone I couldn’t remember. I couldn’t give myself to those women because my heart was already taken.”

They only stared at one another, lost for words. Silence strung between them as it ate away everything they thought they knew about love. Eventually it was Richie who spoke up, forcing the words out of his mouth. “I should go.”

Eddie nodded, “Maybe you should.”

Tears began to push against his barrier but he fought them back down. “I really am sorry Eds. For everything.”

“I know trashmouth.” Eddie whispered, frowning. “But you’ll forget soon, so don’t beat yourself up too much.”

“I guess that’s a good thing.”

“Yeah. I guess.”

Richie stood from his chair, his feet becoming heavy from regret. He forced a smile, fighting back the urge to pull the small man into his arms, to kiss him the way they used to. It all hurt so much but the pain was only temporary, at least for him. “Goodbye Eddie.”

“Goodbye Rich.” He replied softly. “I’ll see you in another ten years.”

“Till then.”

“Till then.” Eddie agreed.


	31. I Hate Watching You Do This To Yourself

Richie forced the pill down his throat, ignoring the burn as it went in. He could taste the lingering bitterness in his mouth and moved over the running faucet to rise. When he rose he caught a glimpse of his reflection starting back at him. He frowned, gently gracing the deep circles under his eyes. “Who are you?” The man in the mirror mouthed the question back to him but provided no insight further.

He shook his head, allowing the buzz begin in his head. With on final check, making sure his stash was secure under the sink, he exited the bathroom, putting on a forced smile. “So what did you pick to watch tonight?

Please no more Disney, I don’t know if I could handle-“

The ramble stopped when he noticed his boyfriend standing on his side of the bed, baggie in hand. “What is this?” He asked, not even looking up from what was in his hands.

“Why were you in my dresser?” Richie bit, feeling his nerves awaken. “That’s my private property, you have no-“

“You told me you stopped.” Eddie choked, his broken gaze meeting his boyfriend. “You promised me that you were over this.”

“I am.”

“No you aren’t!” He retorted, a little too harshly. “Look at yourself Rich. God, how many have you taken today? While I was here?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Richie replied coldly, forcing down the bubble of emotion in his stomach. “If you don’t like it, then leave. This is my apartment not yours.” He instantly regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, watching Eddie crumble at his feet. A whine rumbled in his chest as his boyfriends tears began.

“I didn’t mean that.” He corrected, sighing and sitting on the bed in defeat. “I just-I don’t know.” There was an expected whimper from beside him, immediately drowned out by his own heart as it pounded unexpectedly hard against his ribs.

“What is going on with you Rich? I don’t know how to help you if you don’t talk to me.” Richie tried to focus on the sentiment but found his mind wonder without his permission. It felt like the world was moving under him, forcing him to stay still. The tendons in his neck extended painfully, sending shockwaves down his neck. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

“Eddie?” He whispered, feeling his body shake. “Eddie, something is-“

He didn’t remember falling, but he remember the scream that followed. Pain consumed him, igniting his body and swallowing it whole. He was fire, and dear Lord how he burned.

Then, all of a sudden, nothing.

\----

The beeping is what caught his attention, its steady rhythm singing loudly in his ear. He fought against it, muttering profanity at the annoyance. His eyes opened without his permission, blinding him with florescent light. Physically he was awake but it took another few minutes for his mind to catch up. When it did he immediately recognized where he was. “Ugh.” He moaned, tossing his head back in frustration. “Fucking hell.”

“Those were my words exactly.” Richie jumped slightly, startled by the monotone voice. Looking next to him he found Eddie, sitting in the recliner beside his bed. His hair was matted and his clothes askew. The bags that were once under Richie’s eyes were now worn by his boyfriend, only tenfold.

“Hey Eds.” He murmured back, dropping his gaze in shame. “How-“The question was cut but the dizzy spell that washed over him when he tried to rise. His body crashed back into the bed where he groaned in surprise.

“Yeah, doctors said you would be exhausted. They had to pump your stomach twice to get all of the pills.” There was no venom in his statement, not fire behind his words. Eddie sounded tired, his tone emotionless and flat. Richie wasn’t sure what scared him the most, the fact that Eddie was sitting so far from him or the way he eyes seemed dead as they stared back at him. He reached out to his boyfriend, desperate for his touch, desperate for reconnection. His fingers grazed his exposed arm but Eddie recoiled away, allowing his hand to drop gracelessly. “Don’t Richie.” He whispered calmly.

“Eds.” Richie choked, fighting back a sob. “I’m so sorry.”

Eddie let out a hollow chuckle, shaking his head. “No you’re not.” He whispered, running his nimble fingers though his hair. “How many times do we have to ended up here? What is this the third time? Fourth? Do you even want to get better?”

“I do.” He lied. The pills gave him a sense of satisfaction that he had yet to find elsewhere. Even Eddie had faded behind the drugs importance, he was an addict, and he didn’t know if he could stop let alone if he even wanted to.

“I hate watching you do this to yourself" Eddie replied softly, his voice wavering slightly. “I hate that you put me through this over and over, knowing I’ll be there when you fall and knowing that I won’t leave because you’re my drug Richie and sometimes I wonder if I can quit you.”

“Eddie I-“

“You need to choose. Right now.” It was a stern command, firm and unmoving, providing no room for escape. “It’s me or the pills Rich. You either leave here with me tomorrow and commit to sobriety or you leave alone and I will never contact you again. It’s up to you.”

Richie knew which one he need to choose, it was obvious that it was Eddie. The man who had stood by him after countless mistakes and trips though rehab. The man who he loved and who loved him back. His soulmate.

But that wasn’t what he was going to pick.

“I’m sorry Eds. I really am.” Richie whimpered, tears blurring his vision. Eddie only nodded his head, standing from his chair. They lingered beside one another, the space between them heavy with his poisoned decision.

There was a moment that Richie thought he was going to stay, that everything would just go back to how it was but that was shattered as Eddie gathered his things and headed to the door.

“Goodbye Rich.” He whispered before disappearing into the sea of doctors. Richie watched him leave, knowing that he wasn’t strong enough to do what was necessary to stop him and hating himself for submitting to his compulsion.

There wasn’t enough medication in the world that would numb the pain he felt next.

Richie Tozier was an addict.

There was no denying it now.


	32. It Was Just A Bet

The night was rather warm for winter, the breeze was brisk but inviting rather than the outputting. Christmas lights were stung along the tress and across the sky, illuminating the darkened park. They twinkled like stars, attracting all kinds of people to gaze at them. It was beautiful, and yet everything looked ugly to the small boy who sat on a bench, far from anyone else. The season had changed as soon as Richie opened his mouth, abruptly altering their evening to something much worse than what it had originally been planned.

The trashmouth babbled, fumbling over his own words. Over and over he explained, and over and over his words sounded like a load of shit.

He was crying, practically begging his friend to understand but continually making it worse by explaining things further. Eddie only stared at him, not able to respond but refusing to move from the spot that he now seemed to be glued to. It was like a scene from a move, where the boy confesses the entire plot to the girl, only to have her swoon due to his honest and sincere emotions.

Except this wasn’t a movie, and Eddie wasn’t swooning.

He hadn’t realized that Richie had stopped, his face completely blank as he just looked past his friend as if fixated on something that only he could see. The trashmouth fidgeted with his hands, tears now clearing a forever path against his skin. The air between then grew silent and thick, his foolishness poisoning the space between them. “Please say something.” Richie begged, dropping to his knees in front of his friend. “Anything, please Eddie.”

“Am I just a joke to you? Is that it?” He managed, the words burning his throat.

“What? No, of course not.”

“Then my sexuality is? Is being gay amusing to you?”

“Oh my god, no Eddie. That has absolutely nothing to do with it.” Richie choked, shaking his head violently. “Why would you even ask that?”

Eddie felt his face catch fire, the close proximity for his friend making his stomach churn. He pushed against Richie’s shoulders, forcing him to the ground. The trashmouth let out a surprised squeak, his bottom slamming onto the hard concrete. “Why would I even ask?” Eddie hissed, finding the strength to stand. “Because you and your group made a wager against me! I thought you were friend! I trusted you!”

“I am your friend.” Richie replied, scrambling to his feet. “I made a bet. I lost. It’s simple as that. It was never supposed to get this far, I swear. I made a mistake, you have to believe me.”

“I don’t have to do shit!” Eddie nipped, his chest swelling with the severity of his emotions. “This whole fucking town knew, everyone knew you were stringing me along and I just went with it like an idiot.”

“Eddie please, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know what I was getting in to when I agreed to it, I didn’t know-“

“That I was a person with feelings?” He finished, his short stature not stopping him from looming over the lanky boy. “That I’m not just some fucking toy that you can play with.”

“I didn’t know that I’d fall in love with you.” Richie admitted, fresh tears trailing down his face. The confession caused Eddie to rear back in surprise, his head spinning uncontrollably. “I need you to forgive me. I know what I did was wrong, I really do, but I can’t stand to see-“

“I hate you.” The lie slipped, dripping with venom. “I fucking hate you Richie Tozier.”

Richie stood there, taking the abuse but crumbling in its wake. “I know you don’t mean that.”

Eddie didn’t reply, instead pushing past him, trudging through the snow. Everyone was staring, curious what the commotion was about. Their gazes scorched his skin, leaving him exposed for them to judge. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, he had opened himself up only to have his feelings shoved back down his throat. As he made the long walk back to his house he vowed one thing,

If this was what love was, then he wanted nothing to do with it.


	33. Sick Richie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't know if you're still taking prompts but Eddie swallowing down his germaphobia to take care of a sick Richie?

“Alright, you can do this.” 

It had been the tenth time Eddie had repeated this to himself, his feet creating a trail of nonsense in the kitchen. The apartment was suffocating, the air thick with the sickness that floated from the bedroom down the hall. Eddie hated this, hated seeing his best friend in this state but what he hated more was the fact that there was no one better to take care of him. Stan and Mike were on a date, Beverly and Ben out of town and Bill-well he wasn’t sure where Bill was but he sure as hell wasn’t answering his phone. Eddie couldn’t do this-the germs and bacteria that was thriving in their shared apartment was making his skin crawl as a familiar sense of obsession knotted in his chest. Eddie should be past this, he was fucking twenty one for godsake! He wasn’t a thirteen year old germaphobe who was cramming pills down his gullet, he was better-wiser than he was as a child and goddamn he could do this! 

Until he reached Richie’s door. 

Oh no.

No. No. No. No. 

Eddie’s stomach twisted ad churned, fear choking him in every sense. His friend was doomed, doomed because his roommate was a coward-afraid of a little cold that had already made its rounds on campus. Humiliated and deflated Eddie turned to leave, the medicine in his hand like lead. He had the best intention-Eddie really did-but for whatever reason it felt like he was back home with Sonia, like he was that scared little boy once again. 

What stung the most was that Richie wasn’t just another fiend-he was the person that Eddie wanted to impress the most. Eddie’s boyish crush having developed into something real over the past year and he was sure that it was one sided. There was no why Richie-ladiesman-Tozier saw him in that light, no way he too lay awake at night with feelings of admiration and unrequited love vibrating through his core. With every girl Richie brought home Eddie fell deeper and deeper into the pit and soon he wondered if he would ever be able to dig his way out. 

“EDDIE!” Richie’s shrill voice called out, “EDDIE, NO! EDDIE!” 

“Holy shit Richie.” Eddie shouted, bursting through the door immediately. Richie was still asleep, his body thrashing against the sweat soaked covers as he continued to cry out Eddie’s name in a haze of emotion. The was scorching in the room, the humidifier and vapor rub burning Eddie’s nose as he rushed to Richie’s bedside. “Richie, Richie wake up!” He shook his friend’s shoulders, the agonizing noises that came from Richie bouncing against the four walls. “It’s just a dream! Wake up!” 

Richie bolted upright in bed, making Eddie jumped back in surprise. The trasmouths face was white as a sheet, his eyes bulging from his head as he snapped forward and grabbed hold of Eddie’s shoulders, forcing him into the bed. “Eddie! Oh my god Eddie!” 

“Calm down.” Eddie pleaded, the heat coming from off of his friend in terrifying waves. “Please calm down, I’m right here.” 

“But-but you weren't! Eddie you dead!” Rihcie’s hot breath ticking Eddie’s ear as he whimpered and whined out his description. “ I saw it-you-you saved me and then Pennywise stabbed you through the heart! Right in front of me! I couldn’t save you! I tried-oh god I tried so buh-bad.” He was crying now, trembling as he clung to Eddie for dear life. 

“Who is Pennywise?” Eddie asked, trying to put space between them. 

“The demonic clown that got you Eds! It killed you and I never-never got the chance to tell you how I loved you-how I always loved you! I never-I never-” Richie’s blubbering was like poison in the air, hanging heartfelt confessions out to dry. “I love you Eddie! Please don’t die! I can’t let the clown get you!” 

Eddie pulled away just long enough to touch Richie’s forehead, sighing in relief as he realized, “You are burning up, you don’t mean any of this.” Then the realization of what he had just said hut him full force. “You are hallucinating Richie, I need to take your temperature.” 

Forcibly he removed his friend, peeling his body away in order to grab the thermometer that was on the nightstand, all the while listening to Riches gut wrenching voice following. “Eddie, I love you! I’m sorry I couldn’t save you, I’m so suh-sorry!” 

It took only a moment to get a reading off of Riche’s forehead but once the numbers blinked Eddie’s heart stopped. “104.5, okay we need to get you to the hospital.” Easier said than done as Richie wrapped his arms around his waist, Eddie’s name like a prayer on his lips. “Come on, get up, get your shoes.” 

It took three tries to get Richie from his bed, Eddie’s untrained muscles struggling to bear the weight of the much taller man. There was no time to change, the emergency room was just going to have to deal with their pajamas. As he slid Richie into the passenger seat he once again faced the challenge of peeling him off-the man was unwilling to just let go. “No. Eddie, I have to save you-I can’t let him get you-Eddie!” 

Finally he was able to close the door, calling Stan and Mike before himself getting into the car. “The others are going to meet us at the ER.” He announced, looking beside him at Richie who had his head pressed against the glass. Eddie could feel his fear bubbling up like bile in his throat, though this was a new fear-one of loss and worry. This was terrifying, the reality of him possibly not being able to save Richie making him want to weep. “I’m going to take care of you Richie okay? I promise everything was going to be okay.” 

“I love Eddie.” Richie breathed into the small space, the smell of sickness seeping from his pores. “Save Eddie, save my Eddie.” 

Eddie fought tears as he drove down the empty street, doing his best not to get caught up in Richie’s rambling but failing miserably. Once there nurses rushed out to help, assessing Richie as he screamed out for his Eddie, the hallucinating becoming more violent than before. Eddie tried to follow but was not allowed back and could only watch as they put Richie on a gurney and took him away, his own name echoing against the white tile. 

Stan and Mike made it there ten minutes later but by then Eddie had broken down into nothing.


	34. Hogwarts Drabble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beverly Pairing, slightly Beverly x Kay

Beverly huffed loudly as she leaned against the shelving, her veins pumping boiling blood throughout her body. A string of thoughts hung from her ear, dropping well past her robes and onto the library floor. Her girlfriends voice still played over in her brain, the argument chewing at her flesh like an unwanted leach. She knew she should just go and find one of her friends to release all of her pent up frustration but she also knew that it was becoming more and more common and wasn’t sure if Eddie could take her complaints much longer. Picking out a thin book she began to rip the pages inside, knowing full well if caught it would cost her a weeks detention. 

“What are you doing?” 

Beverly jumped a little at the voice, turning to inspect a Ravenclaw holding a large stack of books. His eyes peered over the top at her with furrowed brow, the majority of him lost behind the thick leather back binding. She looked at the crumbled paper in her hand and frowned, “Being stupid. Again.” She let out a hot breath, her muscles twitching with anger. “Guess my girlfriend is right.” 

“I don’t know about that.” The boy replied, placing the load of books onto one of the desks beside him. “That book is trash, Oedipus is a complete twat.” 

“Twat?” She repeated, watching the boy nodded his head as he began to place the books back onto a shelf. There was a momentary silence between them, Beverly patiently waited for the Ravenclaw to over explain the meaning of the word just like all of those know it alls do but it never came. Raising her eyebrows she pressed, “What? You aren’t going to give me the definition of that word like the rest of people in your house?” 

“No.” He shrugged, “You’re smart.” There was a smirk on his face and she was helpless to return it, the simple action washing away all of the hostility she had been keeping inside. 

She watched him curiously, his movements slow and calculated. “You know that those books are charmed, they will return to their shelves on their own.” 

“I know.” 

“Then why are you doing that?” Leaning against the shelf she took in this boy fully for the first time. His robes were two sizes too big for his figure, falling off of his body like drapes. He wore dark brown hair that was a frizzy mess and light eyes that danced with amusement as his fingers traced the spines of every book he placed on the shelf. 

He didn’t look at her as he spoke, “I used to work at the library back home, I do this sometimes when I’m feeling disconnected.” 

This made no sense to her, “The libraries in your town weren’t charmed?” 

“Both of my parents are muggles.” The Ravenclaw replied, his face turning slightly downward as he explained. “This is how you put books back in a muggle library.” 

It was like he was just waiting for her to belittle him, his body cowering a little and his eyes dropping to the floor. Beverly knew that muggle borns were ridiculed by most, barely tolerated in some houses but she didn’t believe in blood purity. A person should be judged by their actions rather than their social status and that was just that. “Ah, well do you want some help?” 

“No you don’t have to-” But Beverly wasn’t really looking for permission and instead grabbed a book from the top. She didn’t recognize the title nor the cheap material that it was bound in. He must of noticed this because he said: “It’s poetry, uh-muggle poetry. Published in a muggle workshop that’s why it’s so different.” 

Beverly skimmed a few pages and found the words dancing along in her brain. “Mind if I keep this one? I think it might help me with my girlfriend problem.” 

“Sure.” He muttered, “Although I wouldn’t recommend that one if you are wanting to sweep your girlfriend off of her feet. It’s more of a self empowering piece.” 

“Then it’s perfect.” She smiled, putting the book into the pocket of her robe and grabbing another one to put away. “I’m Bevelry by the way. Beverly Marsh.” 

“I know.” 

“Well how do you know that?” 

“We are in the same year.” He replied, “You’re friends with that Eddie Kaspbrak kid right?” 

“I am.” 

“Now that guy can be a twat when he wants to-especially when he’s bickering with Richie Tozier.” There was no bite behind his words but rather a playfulness that made Beverly smile. It was easy, falling into a rhythm with this boy, like she had known him her whole life. “Why don’t they just snog and get it over with.” 

Beverly laughed, “Because they are both idiots.” 

The Ravenclaw hummed in agreement, “That they are.” 

“Aren’t you going to tell me your name?” 

He looked hesitant at first, like telling her would break this spell that he had placed her in but his name came smoothly from his lips-like a soft prayer. “Hanscom, Ben Hanscom.” 

“It’s nice to meet you Ben.” 

“You as well Beverley.”


End file.
